2.2. Exposure to benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines were categorised as hypnotics (lormetazepam, loprazolam, nitrazepam, estazolam, flunitrazepam) or anxiolytics (alprazolam, bromazepam, clobazam, clorazepate, clotiazepam, diazepam, ethyl loflazepate, lorazepam, nordazepam, oxazepam) according to the WHO ATC classification (N05 CD and CF for hypnotics, and N05 BA for anxiolytics).21 Z‐drugs (zolpidem, zopiclone) are hereafter termed hypnotic benzodiazepines. A patient with at least 1 prescription over their hospitalisation was considered as exposed. Because of their nonpsychiatric‐labelled indications in France, injectable forms of benzodiazepines (i.e. diazepam and prazepam) and clonazepam were not considered. We collected information on the prescribed drug, the duration of prescription, the maximum dosage over the hospitalisation and the presence and the dosage on the discharge prescription. The duration of exposure to benzodiazepines included the duration of treatment during the hospitalisation and the duration of treatment that was prescribed on the discharge prescription for patients who had no outpatient follow‐up in the hospital. For patients with an outpatient follow‐up, we added the duration of ambulatory prescriptions over the follow‐up period.