From benzos to antipsychotics, all sorts of medications are prescribed for anxiety.

Today, we look at when and how to deprescribe them in older adults.

Welcome to the Carlet Psychiatry Podcast, keeping psychiatry honest since 2003.

I'm Chris Haken, editor-in-chief of the Carlet Psychiatry Report, keeping psychiatry honest since 2003. I'm Chris Aiken, editor-in-chief of the Carlisth Psychiatry Report.

And I'm Kelly Newsom, a psychiatric MP and a dedicated reader of every issue.

We're continuing our countdown of the most read articles from 2023.

This one is from our Jera Psychiatry Journal, and its place at number two on the list speaks to how important this topic is for all of us.

De-prescribing anti-anxiety medications and older adults by Rachel Mayan. You can read all of the

top 15 articles free online through the link in the show notes,

or just Google Top 15 Carlyte Psychiatry Articles of 2023.

Dr. Mayen is an outpatient geriatric psychiatrist at the Sacramento VA Medical Center

and has no conflicts related to this article.

Music VA Medical Center and has no conflicts related to this article. When we see an older adult on Benzos, who is stable and not misusing the medication,

our inclination is usually not to rock the boat. But when it comes to anti-anxiety medications,

tapering is often a good idea, especially considering the risks of falls, sedation, and accidents

that come with them. These risks increase with age, and while some patients are cautious and

concerned about those risks,

many others are in denial about it. I think of an older man I treated who was on long-term

lorazepam, and it had a recent fall. He was adamant that the fall had nothing to do with the

Benzo, blaming it on his house cleaner who had used a new floor wax that day.

Most older adults have a seemingly valid reason for falling when they fall.

And the reason is probably true.

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