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A MULTICENTER EUROPEAN STUDY ON PREVALENCE OF HYPNOSEDATIVE DRUG USE IN GERIATRIC INPATIENTS. AN INI
Petrovic M, Spatharakis G, Conroy S, Van Maele G, Moulias S
Objective: This cross-sectional study registered prevalence of hypnosedative drug use in geriatric inpatients from 30 centres in 9 European countries.
Methods: We conducted a survey among geriatricians using a standardised questionnaire concerning hypnosedative drug use for more than 3 weeks. The study population consisted of 1972 inpatients aged 75 years or older. Acute care (620), intermediate care/rehabilitation (359), long-term care (261), terminal care (47) and nursing homes (685) were represented. Main outcome measures were: the prevalence of hypnosedative drug use; the identification of main prescribes and main reasons for prescribing and, the assessment of withdrawal policy, including psychological counselling and involvement of general practitioners.
Results: Prevalence of hypnosedative use was highest in long-term care (72%), followed by nursing homes (70%) and terminal care (59%). Geriatricians started prescribing hypnosedatives in 52%. The main reasons for prescribing were: continuation of medication taken at home (37%), sleep problems emerging after admission (26%) and post admission worsening of existing sleep problems (20%). Most prescribes (70%) applied an active withdrawal policy. Short-term withdrawal programme was mostly applied (57%). Most patients (60%) were psychologically counselled during withdrawal from hypnosedatives and were regularly (67%) provided with a ?withdrawal plan? at discharge. General practitioners were often (60%) involved in withdrawal policy. The most frequently prescribed hypnosedatives were trazodone (63%), lorazepam (57%), and zopiclone (50%).
Conclusion: The prevalence of prescription of hypnosedative drugs in geriatric inpatients is high. Appropriate common guidelines are needed to control use of hypnosedatives during admission and to ensure withdrawal from these drugs upon discharge.
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