Prevalence of long-term use of medicines with prolonged oral clearance in the elderly: a survey in north east England.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of long-term use by the elderly of prescribed and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines with prolonged oral clearance (POC), with regard to sugars content, dose form and therapeutic groups of medicines used.


METHODS
Two cross-sectional observational surveys in ten general medical practices in north-east England during 1996.


METHODS
Computerised patient records of all elderly patients (aged 60 years and over) were surveyed for prescribed medicines use. Within these practices, 50% of elderly patients registered with ten general medical practitioners were surveyed by postal questionnaire to assess over-the-counter (OTC) medicines use.


RESULTS
Of 20,731 elderly patients registered, prevalence of use of prescribed prolonged oral clearance (POC) medicines was 9.8% (95% CI: 8.2%, 11.3%) and use in females aged 75 years and older was significantly more likely (P < 0.0001). Of 2,796 prescribing instances (PIs) for 143 POC medicines used long-term, 53% were gastrointestinal and 72% were sugars-free; however, 82% of 542 PIs for generic liquids were sugars-containing compared with 8% of 685 PIs for proprietary liquid oral medicines. Of 1,532 elderly respondents to a postal questionnaire, 17 were using 13 different OTC medicines with POC regularly and long-term (mean prevalence; 1.1%). Of the 17 instances of regular long-term use of OTC medicines, 59% were sugars-free.


CONCLUSIONS
Prescribed medicines represent the bulk of regular, long-term medicines use in the elderly. Generic prescribing is more likely to result in sugars-containing medicines being dispensed. Generic medicines manufacturers must be encouraged to provide sugars-free alternatives to POC medicines used long-term, and health professionals should be vigilant when prescribing and dispensing these medicines to the increasingly dentate elderly.
Maguire
A
A
Department of Child Dental Health, University of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Baqir
W
W
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004304:Dosage Forms; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016568:Drugs, Generic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D008875:Middle Aged; D009055:Mouth / Q000378:metabolism*; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D010599:Pharmacokinetics; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012494:Sampling Studies; D013395:Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D013997:Time Factors
D004304:Dosage Forms; D016568:Drugs, Generic; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D013395:Sucrose