N/A N=170 Randomized Single-blind Treatment

Promoting Benzodiazepine Cessation Through an Electronically-delivered Patient Self-management Intervention

Taking Benzodiazepines for Any Reason for 3 Months · Benzodiazepine Dependence

Bottom Line

View on ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04572750 ↗

Enrolled (actual)

170

Serious AEs

0.0%

Results posted

May 2025

Primary outcome: Primary: 25% Reduction in Benzodiazepine Use — 14; 6 Participants

Study Design & Population

Study type: Interventional
Phase: N/A
Interventions: EMPOWER-ED (Behavioral)
Age: Pediatric, Adult, Older Adult
Sex: All
Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development
Primary completion: Jul 2024

Outcome Measures

Outcome	Result	p-value
PRIMARY 25% Reduction in Benzodiazepine Use	14; 6	—
PRIMARY Cessation of Benzodiazepine Use	10; 2	—
SECONDARY Anxiety	9.77; 8.86; 8.23; 7.26	—
SECONDARY Sleep Quality	23.84; 24.53; 23.80; 23.64	—
SECONDARY Overall Health and Quality of Life	38.06; 38.03; 37.45; 37.26; 40.19; 40.21	—

Summary

Benzodiazepines (e.g., Ativan, Xanax) are widely prescribed medications that are used mainly to treat anxiety and sleeping difficulties. Long-term use of benzodiazepine carries risks of physical dependence, addiction, falls and other accidents, and problems in thinking/concentrating. Researchers in Canada developed a printed self-help packet that enabled many individuals to reduce or cease taking benzodiazepines on their own. This study is designed to tailor that packet to the Veteran population, convert it to an app that people can use on their laptop or smart phone, and test whether the app helps promote benzodiazepine prescribing.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

Veterans having a VA primary care provider and taking prescribed benzodiazepines for at least 3 months
Have access to a smartphone, tablet, or computer

Exclusion Criteria

Individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia, dementia, seizure disorder, and/or spinal cord injury
Individuals receiving palliative care

View full record on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04572750). Outcome figures and adverse-event rates are extracted automatically from the registry's posted results and are provided for clinician reference, not as a substitute for the primary publication.