Drug consumption in elderly subjects with occult fasting hyperglycaemia.
Drug consumption was studied in 87 persons with occult fasting hyperglycaemia and compared with sex- and age-matched non-diabetic controls all selected by screening a well-defined population aged 60-74 years. The daily use of prescribed and nonprescribed drugs was established by questionnaires and interviews. Sixty-nine percent of subjects with fasting hyperglycaemia used drugs daily compared with 46% of controls (P less than 0.005). The difference was most pronounced among men. The median use of defined daily doses in those using drugs was not significantly different in the two groups. The main drug usage in both subjects with fasting hyperglycaemia and controls was in the cardiovascular medication group. More than half (59%) of the subjects with fasting hyperglycaemia used cardiovascular drugs compared with 27% of controls (P less than 0.0001). There were no significant differences in the other medication groups. Our results may reflect an increased morbidity from cardiovascular diseases among the elderly with occult fasting hyperglycaemia, and they seem to be comparable with the results on drug consumption found in the elderly with known diabetes.
Gram
J
J
Department of Medicine, Fredericia Hospital, Denmark.
Damsgaard
E M
EM
D000368:Aged; D003718:Denmark; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; D004358:Drug Therapy; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D004366:Nonprescription Drugs