[Consumption of psychotropic drugs by the aged].
BACKGROUND
The medical prescription increase for psychotropic drugs, and particularly by elderly, are the facts that have motivated this study: 1) elderly psychotropic consumption assessment, 2) identify risk factors consumption.


METHODS
Descriptive and cross-sectional survey from individual questionnaires.


RESULTS
The prevalence for psychotropic drugs was 24% in our sample, (72.1% women). 53.3% prescription were realized by family practitioners. 54.3% patients used them for more than three years. The biggest group consumed are the long term benzodiazepines (62.3%).


CONCLUSIONS
The high prevalence, the long time of consumption, the use of long-term benzodiazepines, and the fact of that family practitioners are the main prescribers, must make us think about the pertinence and accuracy of these medical prescriptions.
García Fernández
J J
JJ
González Pérez
C
C
Martín Sánchez
M D
MD
Sánchez Baragaño
M A
MA
Bernardo Vega
J
J
Menéndez Rodríguez
M A
MA
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D001569:Benzodiazepines
Consumo de fármacos psicotrópicos en los ancianos.