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Latest independent drug information about benzodiazepines and treatments, written and reviewed by experts in Australia.
Benzodiazepines are also known as sleep medicines.
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| Title | Description | Type | Audience ![]() |
Date* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical audit: Use of benzodiazepines, zolpidem and zopiclone in insomnia | Clinical audit to assist GPs to to review their management of patients prescribed a benzodiazepine, zolpidem or zoplicone for insomnia. | Professional activity - Clinical audit | Health Professionals | 2010-03-01 00:00:00 |
| Indicators of Quality Prescribing: 19 | Indicators of Quality Prescribing: Indicator 19 Benzodiazepines (Long-Term Use). This indicator asks practices what percentage of patients aged over 65 years have been prescribed regular benzodiazepines for more than 4 weeks. | Professional tool - Indicators of quality prescribing | Health Professionals | 2006-02-01 00:00:00 |
| Indicators of Quality Prescribing: 5 | Indicators of Quality Prescribing: Indicator 5 Prescribing Drugs of Addiction. This indicator asks practices if they have a policy on the prescription of opioids and benzodiazepines. | Professional tool - Indicators of quality prescribing | Health Professionals | 2006-02-01 00:00:00 |
| Case study 62: Maximising sleep and minimising potential harms | Margaret is a 54-year-old former receptionist who is visiting you for a repeat prescription of temazepam, she will finish her first pack in 10 days. She started temazepam 2 weeks ago after the sudden death of her aunt. | Professional activity - Case study | Health Professionals | 2010-02-01 00:00:00 |
| Case study 5 report: New drugs | Patient with mild hypertension and mildly elevated cholesterol presents with insomnia and anxiety. Consider the appropriateness of a range of drug therapies for this patient. | Professional activity - Case study report | Health Professionals | 1999-12-01 00:00:00 |
| Case study 3 report: Benzodiazepines | Patient requests something to help her stress. She reports various symptoms including feeling anxious, agitated and on edge. She finds it difficult to get to sleep. | Professional activity - Case study report | Health Professionals | 1999-10-01 00:00:00 |
| Case study 10 report: Depression | Middle-aged female patient presents with 2 month history of appetite loss, agitation and low mood. You diagnose major depression, schedule counselling and initiate antidepressant therapy. | Professional activity - Case study report | Health Professionals | 2008-05-03 00:00:00 |
| Case study 5: New drugs | Patient with mild hypertension and mildly elevated cholesterol presents with insomnia and anxiety. Consider the appropriateness of a range of drug therapies for this patient. | Professional activity - Case study | Health Professionals | 1999-12-01 00:00:00 |
| Case study 3: Benzodiazepines | Patient requests something to help her stress. She reports various symptoms including feeling anxious, agitated and on edge. She finds it difficult to get to sleep. | Professional activity - Case study | Health Professionals | 1999-06-01 00:00:00 |
| Case study 62 report — Maximising sleep and minimising potential harms | Margaret is a 54-year-old former receptionist who is visiting you for a repeat prescription of temazepam, she will finish her first pack in 10 days. She started temazepam 2 weeks ago after the sudden death of her aunt. | Professional activity - Case study report | Health Professionals | 2010-04-15 00:00:00 |
| National facts and figures on benzodiazepine use | Graph and figures depicting community benzodiazepine use from 1990 to 1998. Temazepam is the seventh most frequently dispensed item on the PBS. | Professional publication - NPS factsheet | Health Professionals | 1999-11-17 00:00:00 |
| Drug use evaluation (DUE) of hypnotic medicines for the management of insomnia in aged care facilities | Sample pages for planning a drug use evaluation (DUE) of hypnotic medicines for the management of insomnia in aged care facilities | Professional activity - Drug Use Evaluation (DUE) for aged care facilities | Health Professionals | 2007-08-17 00:00:00 |
| DUE of hypnotic medicines for the management of insomnia in aged care facilities | Information and login for the DUE of hypnotic medicines for the management of insomnia in aged care facilities | Professional activity - Drug Use Evaluation (DUE) for aged care facilities | Health Professionals | 2010-04-30 00:00:00 |
| Benzodiazepines and other hypnotic drugs | Accurate, balanced, evidence-based information, resources and educational activities on benzodiazepines & other hypnotic drugs. Information for health professionals. | Topic overview | Health Professionals | 2009-09-17 00:00:00 |
| Hypnotic medicines (sedatives) use in primary care | Outlines the role of sedatives (e.g. benzodiazepines, zolpidem or zolpiclone) in treating insomnia, often they are not needed. | Professional publication - NPS News | Health Professionals | 2010-02-01 00:00:00 |
| Benzodiazepines and non-drug treatments for insomnia | Covers benzodiazepine prescribing and the treatment of insomia. Compares non-drug treatments and herbal alternatives | Professional publication - NPS News | Health Professionals | 2002-10-01 00:00:00 |
| Evaluation of prescription drugs in Australia | A synopsis of the evaluation, dosage management and regulation of drugs in Australia, along with issues surrounding approaches to new drugs | Professional publication - NPS News | Health Professionals | 2001-12-01 00:00:00 |
| Polypharmacy | Looks at ceasing medications and adverse effects of drugs. What is polypharmacy? Steps for managing polypharmacy in elderly patients. Case study. | Professional publication - NPS News | Health Professionals | 2000-12-01 00:00:00 |
| NPS News 7: New drug treatments | Prescribing new drugs and managing pharmaceutical company representatives wanting to sell and patients wanting the latest treatments. Report on case study 3 (benzodiazepines). | Professional publication - NPS News | Health Professionals | 1999-12-01 00:00:00 |
| NPS News 4: Managing withdrawal from benzodiazepines and alternatives for night-time sedation | Guidelines for withdrawing patients from benzodiazepines, including prescribing pointers, complementary therapies, and benzodiazepine dose equivalents. | Professional publication - NPS News | Health Professionals | 1999-06-01 00:00:00 |
| NPS Prescribing Practice Review 4: Reviewing long term use of benzodiazepines and managing the new patient with insomnia | Information on reviewing the need to continue, reduce or cease an individuals long term use of benzodiazepines. A plan for managing insomnia is also provided. | Professional publication - Prescribing Practice Review | Health Professionals | 1999-07-01 00:00:00 |
| Sleep management options | Discusses how to avoid benzodiazepines and related drugs, use of non-drug therapies for patients with sleep problems, and how to encourage withdrawal | Professional publication - Prescribing Practice Review | Health Professionals | 2010-03-30 00:00:00 |
| Articles on benzodiazepines & other hypnotic drugs from NPS RADAR | Get independent, evidence-based info on benzodiazepines & other hypnotic drugs. Written for doctors, pharmacists & other health professionals. | Topic overview | Health Professionals | 2009-10-28 00:00:00 |
| Sleep right, sleep tight: natural sleep before medicines | Help with sleep problems and alternatives to sleeping pills | Web page | Consumers | 2010-09-28 00:00:00 |
| Sleep Right, Sleep Tight: Sleep diary | This sleep diary helps you track your sleep over 1–2 weeks and, with the help of your doctor, find out what may be causing any problems. | Consumer resource - Tool | Consumers | 2010-03-01 00:00:00 |
| Sleep Right, Sleep Tight: Factsheet | Information for consumers about sleep, sleep quality and sleep problems. Includes sleep tips and resources. | Consumer publication - NPS factsheet | Consumers | 2010-03-01 00:00:00 |
| The sleep cycle | Help with sleep problems and alternatives to sleeping pills | Web page | Consumers | 2011-01-01 00:00:00 |
| How sleep problems can affect you | Help with sleep problems and alternatives to sleeping pills | Web page | Consumers | 2011-01-01 00:00:00 |
| Types of sleep problem | Help with sleep problems and alternatives to sleeping pills | Web page | Consumers | 2011-01-01 00:00:00 |
| Who can have sleep problems? | Help with sleep problems and alternatives to sleeping pills | Web page | Consumers | 2011-01-01 00:00:00 |
| Sleeping pills are a short term solution | Help with sleep problems and alternatives to sleeping pills | Web page | Consumers | 2011-01-01 00:00:00 |
| More to help you sleep right | Help with sleep problems and alternatives to sleeping pills | Web page | Consumers | 2011-01-01 00:00:00 |
| How to sleep right | Help with sleep problems and alternatives to sleeping pills | Web page | Consumers | 2011-01-01 00:00:00 |
| New medicine evaluation tools for aged care facilities | Two new Drug Use Evaluation (DUE) tools have been developed by the National Prescribing Service Ltd (NPS) to assist health professionals working in aged care facilities with optimal drug therapy relating to laxative use, and hypnotics. | Media release | Others | 2009-05-15 19:00:00 |
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Date published: 2010-12-17 00:00:00
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