Researchers examine potential misuse of anti-anxiety medication: Study

As part of a recent study, researchers examined the potential misuse of anti-anxiety medication.

There is concern about the misuse of the sedative anti-anxiety medication alprazolam because of the "high" it can create.

According to the findings, published in the Journal of British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, non-medical use of alprazolam (anti-anxiety medication) in the United Kingdom is a significant issue, and it appears to be more prevalent in younger adults.

The study examined results from a survey that included 10,019 adults in the United Kingdom. The estimated national prevalence of lifetime non-medical use of alprazolam was 0.32%, and 1.30% for diazepam (valium), another anti-anxiety medication.

The prevalence of non-medical use in the last 90 days was significantly different when split by age category for alprazolam, but not for diazepam, with alprazolam non-medical use being more common among younger adults.

The authors noted that most individuals taking alprazolam for non-medical reasons are doing so without a prescription and therefore are unlikely to obtain medical advice before use.