NICE publishes decision aid to guide patient discussions regarding discontinuation of benzodiazepines or z-drugs
27 June, 2023
This aid is designed to help patients who have been prescribed a benzodiazepine or z-drug for anxiety or sleeping problems,
This new decision aid from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is designed to help patients who have been prescribed a benzodiazepine or z-drug for anxiety or sleeping problems, who are thinking about stopping it or reducing the dose. It emphasizes that patients should not suddenly stop taking these drugs because of the potential for life-threatening withdrawal effects, but they can use the aid to have a discussion with their healthcare professional.
The information is broken down in simple sections including:
- What the medicines are,
- Why might they want to stop,
- What the options are, with a helpful summary table
- When might not be a good time to stop or reduce these drugs
- What does reducing the dose or stopping the medicine involve?
Access the decision aid on the NICE website.
Recent Resources
