title: [Prescription of psychopharmaceuticals in general practice. 3. Prescription of hypnotics].
abstract: In a multicentre-questionnaire investigation in general practice in the County of Arhus with participation of 66% of the general practitioners in the county, 1,516 prescriptions for hypnotics were registered during one week. 68% of the prescriptions were for women and 32% for men. The average ages of the patients were 65 and 64 years, respectively. The frequency of prescription increased markedly with age. 83% of the prescriptions and 85% of the hypnotics calculated in defined daily doses were benzodiazepines. The majority of the benzodiazepine hypnotics and sedatives prescribed had long half-lives. At the time of the first prescription of hypnotic, 31% of the patients were in a state of mental crisis while only 7% were so after medication for at least six years. In about 30% of the patients, a co-existing somatic disease contributed to a considerable extent to the prescription of the hypnotic while under 1/5 of the patients suffered from genuine mental illness. Approximately 20% of the patients were considered to be potential or genuine addicts. More than 80% of the renewed prescriptions occurred by indirect doctor-patient contact.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Holm
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003718:Denmark; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives
vernacular_title: Psykofarmakaordination i almen praksis. 3. Ordination of sovemidler.