The Incidence of Benzodiazepine and Benzodiazepine‐Related Drug Use in People With and Without Parkinson's Disease—A Nationwide Cohort Study

Background Non‐motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD), including sleep problems and anxiety, are common and can appear before motor symptoms. Benzodiazepines and benzodiazepine‐related drugs (BZDR) may be used to treat these symptoms, although they are associated with an increased fall risk. It is unknown how the incidence of BZDR use changes in relation to PD diagnosis. Objective To investigate the incidence of BZDR use in people with and without PD from 6 years before to 10 years after the PD diagnosis. Methods A nationwide register‐based FINPARK cohort includes 18 651 persons diagnosed with PD in 1996–2015 and their matched comparison persons ( n = 127 806). BZDR incidence was ascertained from a national prescription register. The study adheres to RECORD‐PE reporting guideline. Findings People with PD initiated BZDR use more frequently than the comparison people (39.0% vs. 25.9%). The incidence rate was higher in the PD group throughout the study period, and the incidence began to increase 2 years before and peaked at 6 months before the diagnosis. Conclusion The higher incidence of BZDR use in persons with PD already before the PD diagnosis may indicate non‐motor symptoms before the PD diagnosis. The use of fall‐risk increasing BZDR for people with PD is concerning, as the disease itself increases the risk of falling.