title: Sleep disorders in the elderly.
abstract: In their own practices and in consultation, requests to psychiatrists to evaluate and treat sleep disorders in the elderly are common. The five million elders in this country receive 35%-40% of the sedative-hypnotics prescribed, despite the fact that they represent only 12% of the population. Since their sleep disturbances are usually secondary to medical, psychiatric, pharmacologic, or environmental causes, they should receive a thorough evaluation and differential diagnostic approach. Before prescribing a sedative-hypnotic, one should consider nonpharmacologic interventions and education about normal sleep changes due to aging. As a foundation for the judicious prescribing of sedative-hypnotics, the pharmacokinetic changes associated with aging are discussed.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D001569:Benzodiazepines