Among many sleeping pills, benzodiazepine receptor agonists are widely prescribed around the world, but concerns about their safety have been pointed out.On the other hand, new and highly safe sleeping pills have been released one after another in recent years, and although it is possible that they are affecting the prescribing behavior of doctors, they have not been investigated so far.
Lecturer Masahiro Takeshima of Akita University, Professor Kazuo Mishima, Associate Professor Yoshikazu Takaesu of the University of the Ryukyus, Assistant Professor Hiromi Aoki of St. Luke's International University, Associate Professor Kenya Ie of St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Professor Koichiro Watanabe of Kyorin University, and Professor Tsuboi Collaborative research by Associate Professor Takatsugu, Professor Ken Inada of Kitasato University, Dr. Eiichi Katsumoto of Katsumoto Mental Clinic, Dr. Hidetomo Tsuru of Munakata Suikokai General Hospital, and Dr. Morihito Kise of the Family Medicine Development Center of the Japan Medical Welfare Co-op. For the first time, the group conducted a questionnaire survey of 962 physicians belonging to the Japan Primary Care Association, the All Japan Hospital Association, and the Japan Psychiatry and Neurology Clinic Association about the classes of sleeping pills they frequently prescribe and the reasons why.
As a result of the survey, the percentage of doctors who frequently prescribed orexin receptor antagonists was the highest at 84.3%, followed by non-benzodiazepine sleeping pills at 75.4%, melatonin receptor agonists at 57.1%, and benzodiazepines. Sleeping pills accounted for 54.3%.Regarding reasons for frequent prescriptions, physicians who frequently prescribe orexin receptor antagonists tend to emphasize efficacy and safety, while physicians who frequently prescribe melatonin receptor agonists tend to focus on safety. tended to focus onPhysicians who frequently prescribe non-benzodiazepine hypnotics and physicians who frequently prescribe benzodiazepine hypnotics tended to emphasize efficacy.
These results indicate that many physicians consider orexin receptor antagonists to be effective and highly safe drugs. It was suggested that they may have no choice but to prescribe it in anticipation of its efficacy, even though they understand their concerns.
In the future, it is hoped that the spread of treatment methods with established efficacy and safety will be promoted, and the accumulation of evidence regarding treatment strategies when highly safe hypnotics are ineffective is expected.
Paper information:[Frontiers in Psychiatry] Physicians' attitudes toward hypnotics for insomnia: A questionnaire-based study
