title: Alcohol and drug use in the elderly visited at home.
abstract: During a 3 year prospective study, 223 new patients aged 65 and over were seen at their own residences. This setting enabled a detailed record to be made of current medication and alcohol use. The average consumption was 2.9 different drugs daily per patient, but one-third of the patients took 4 or more different preparations. One patient in 10 showed a severe alcohol-related problem. These findings were in a group with an average age of 77, not overtly physically ill, referred for a psychiatric opinion.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology; D004363:Drug Utilization; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012646:Self Administration; D012651:Self Medication; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations