[Factors influencing the prescribing of nootropic drugs. Results of a representative inquiry in Lower Saxony].
OBJECTIVE
To discover (1) to what extent patients' wishes and the extent of any abnormality of brain performance influence the frequency with which "nootropic" drugs (those thought to affect brain activity, e.g. piracetam, pyritinol, or improve cerebral circulation, e.g. xanthine derivatives, Ginkgo biloba, secale alkaloids, calcium antagonists) are prescribed; (2) the medical practitioner's expectations of the effectiveness of such medications.


METHODS
In a personal interview, 145 family doctors and 14 neurologists in private practice in the Göttingen area of Germany (participation rate: 83.2% of those asked to participate) were questioned about fictitious cases (case 1: mild memory problem with or without expressed wish for medication; case 2: moderate dementia, of Alzheimer or multi-infarct type). The previously arranged interviews, which took place in the doctors' practice rooms, consisted of standardized open questions to the written case reports.


RESULTS
Regardless of the wish of the patient and the extent and type of the abnormal brain function about 70% of all participating doctors would prescribe those drugs, even though about 56% had doubts about their effectiveness. About 28% expected a positive effect on brain performance. A nearly equal proportion of doctors would continue an existing drug regimen as would prescribe one.


CONCLUSIONS
The prescription of the named group of drugs is influenced less by medical criteria than by factors which concern doctor-patient relationship.
D000328:Adult; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy; D015161:Dementia, Multi-Infarct / Q000188:drug therapy; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009462:Neurology; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010358:Patient Participation; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'
D018697:Nootropic Agents
Einflussfaktoren auf die Verordnung von Nootropika. Ergebnisse einer repräsentativen Umfrage in Niedersachsen.