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Use of psychotropics among home-dwelling nondemented and demented elderly
- Authors:
- HARTIKAINEN Sirpa, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 18(12), December 2003, pp.1135-1141.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The home-dwelling elderly (n=523) among the random sample of 700 subjects from the total population of individuals aged 75 years or more in 1998 and living in the city of Kuopio, Finland. A trained nurse interviewed the participants about their health and current use of medicines. A geriatrician performed clinical examinations and diagnosed diseases. Dementia and depression were diagnosed according to the DSM-IV criteria. The demented subjects used more medicines of all kinds (p<0.01), and especially more psychotropics than the nondemented (p<0.001). One in four demented subjects, compared to one in ten nondemented ones used at least two psychotropics (p<0.01). The demented subjects used antipsychotics six times more often than the nondemented ones (p<0.001). Among the nondemented subjects, one out of two antipsychotics users was suffering from depression according to DSM-IV criteria. Three out of four persons who had dementia with Lewy bodies were using psychotropics. Persons with moderate dementia were more commonly using all kinds of psychotropic preparations especially, antipsychotics three times more commonly than persons with mild or severe dementia. Psychotropics, especially antipsychotics, are commonly used in the treatment of both nondemented and demented elderly, even without proper indication. Physicians need more training about the appropriate use of psychotropics to minimize their adverse effects.
Community prevalence of alcohol use and concomitant use of medication - a source of possible risk in the elderly aged 75 and older?
- Authors:
- AIRA Marja, HARTIKAINEN Sirpa, SULKAVA Raimo
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 20(7), July 2005, pp.680-685.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This study explores alcohol use and concomitant use of prescription and over the counter (OTC) medicines in people aged 75 years or over. The study used a community-based randomized survey of home-dwelling older people in the City of Kuopio, Finland. A random sample of 700 persons aged 75 years or over was used, of whom 601 participated (86%). Only 523 home-dwellers were included in this study. Of the participants, 44% used alcohol. Most alcohol drinkers used medications on a regular basis (86.9%) or as needed (87.8%), among them medicines known to have some potential interactions with alcohol. Elevated mean corpuscular volume was more widespread among alcohol drinkers than non drinkers. The authors conclude theoretical risks posed by alcohol use are not minimal in the older elderly, though the quantity of alcohol use is not considerable. Physicians and nurses should pay attention to chronic diseases and medications when counselling aged people about alcohol consumption. The question of clinical importance of alcohol-medication interactions needs to be studied further.