Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41789439›Full record

ArticleBasic & clinical pharmacology & toxicology2026

Supporting General Practitioners to Deprescribe Benzodiazepines and Z-Drugs in Primary Care: Findings From a Modified Delphi Study.

Erin Oldenhof, Megan Pisegna, Mark Horowitz, Hester Wilson, Karen Gelb, Stephen Trumble, Catherine Andronis, Marguerite Tracy, Nicholas A Zwar, Andrew Mau and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Basic & clinical pharmacology & toxicology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Erin OldenhofReconnexion, a service of Each, Melbourne, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8551-5761
Megan PisegnaSchool of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, Australia.
Mark HorowitzResearch and Development Department, North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT), London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1318-2029
Hester WilsonCentre for Alcohol and Other Drugs, NSW Health, Sydney, Australia.
Karen GelbSchool of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, Australia.
Stephen TrumbleSchool of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
Catherine AndronisRACGP Special Interest Group in Psychological Medicine, Melbourne, Australia.
Marguerite TracyRACGP Specific Interest Group in Addiction, Melbourne, Australia.
Nicholas A ZwarSchool of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Andrew MauMalvern Private Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
Anna ChapmanInstitute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7965-4098
Petra K StaigerSchool of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, Australia.

Funding

Department of Health, State Government of Victoria ADRIA Grant #101
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Long-term use of benzodiazepines and Z-drugs (collectively known as benzodiazepine receptor agonists; BZRAs) is associated with a range of adverse effects including dependence and withdrawal on stopping or reducing the dose. Deprescribing is recommended to improve patient outcomes and reduce medication-related harm, but its implementation in primary care is hindered by various barriers. This study aimed to identify the strategies that Australian general practitioners (GPs) agree were most useful in supporting them to deprescribe BZRAs. A modified Delphi was conducted online over three rounds with 38 Australian GPs. Participants were registered GPs with ≥ 10 years' experience in either addiction, mental health, sleep, pain management, or aged care. Participants rated and provided feedback on 61 implementation strategies over three rounds until they achieved either consensus or stability. Included strategies were mapped to the theoretical domains framework to understand their links to behaviour change mechanisms. Twenty-five strategies reached a consensus for inclusion indicating their importance to supporting GPs to deprescribe BZRAs. The most important strategies included extended consultation times, provision of clear deprescribing protocols and establishing practice-level agreement on deprescribing policies. Findings provide a prioritised set of implementation strategies to address the barriers to BZRA deprescribing and offer a strong foundation for future research and policy to improve deprescribing in primary care.

Indexed as

BenzodiazepinesDeprescriptionsGABA-A Receptor AgonistsGeneral PractitionersPractice Patterns, Physicians'AustraliaAzabicyclo CompoundsDelphi TechniqueHumansHypnotics and SedativesPiperazinesPrimary Health CareAzabicyclo CompoundsBenzodiazepinesGABA-A Receptor AgonistsHypnotics and SedativesPiperazineszopiclone

Identifiers

PMID41789439
PMCPMC12964182

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.