The association between patterns of use of benzodiazepines and chronic soma
tic morbidity was examined by applying the Chronic Disease Score (CDS). In
the only pharmacy in a Dutch community, 6921 patients with data available c
overing a 10-year period (1983-1992) were included. In 1992, two-thirds of
the patients had a CDS of 0, indicating no chronic morbidity. Patients with
chronic morbidity showed a twofold risk of a history of benzodiazepine use
. Within the group of benzodiazepine users, longer exposure to benzodiazepi
nes as well as a history of different benzodiazepines were associated with
a higher risk of chronic morbidity. Duration of episodes of use and daily d
ose were not found to be significantly associated with chronic disease. A p
attern of increased benzodiazepine use showed a higher risk of chronic morb
idity compared with benzodiazepine users with a stable use. Moreover, a his
tory of benzodiazepine use was found to predict a sharp increase in chronic
morbidity. We found a clear association between previous and actual use of
benzodiazepines and chronic somatic disease. Benzodiazepine use may be ind
uced by sleeping difficulties and anxiety problems caused by the chronic di
sease. Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.