Survey of benzodiazepine and antidepressant use in outpatients with mood disorders in Japan.

Data on benzodiazepine use in mood disorders are still limited, especially among seniors. A cross-sectional review of psychotropic prescriptions in 948 outpatients with mood disorders (405 male; mean +/- SD age, 52 +/- 17 years; age range, 16- 91 years) was conducted in Japan. The use of benzodiazepine-derivative anxiolytics was approximately 60% in all decades, including older patients, without a group difference. The frequent use of benzodiazepines is a cause for concern because they are not preferred treatment, given their well-known adverse effects especially in the elderly.