[Drug prescriptions for the elderly. Results of a survey on 8,809 prescriptions obtained by coding in the North-East area of France].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the prescriptions in patients aged over 60 and more in the North-East area of France during a summer and a winter month, to analyze the impact of the seasonal factor and the number of prescriptions, and to classify in frequency the families and classes of medicinal products prescribed.


METHODS
This study was conducted on two samples of prescriptions presented for reimbursement to the public health scheme of the Meurthe-et-Moselle, Vosges and Meuse areas, i.e. 4409 prescriptions (717 men, 1244 women) in July 1998 and 4400 prescriptions (772 men and 1335 women) in January 1999. The prescriptions concerned non-hospitalised persons aged over 60. Each prescription was identified according to the international medication classification codes, and classified according to the anatomical, therapeutic and chemical classification.


RESULTS
The survey in July 1998 concerned 1961 patients and that of January 1999 2107 patients, representing respectively 4409 and 4400 prescriptions. The number of prescriptions of July and January were comparable (4409 vs 4400), but the number of prescription lines was greater in the winter month (3.51 +/- 2.3 vs 3.43 +/- 2.3; p<0.001). Among the prescriptions, 63% were for women and the number of prescription lines was greater than those for men (3.54 vs 3.24 in July, p<0.01; 3.59 vs 3.35 in January, p<0.01). Around 90% of the prescriptions were drawn-up by general practitioners. Ophthalmology was the specialty that prescribed the greatest number of prescriptions. The mean amount reimbursed for a prescription was higher in men with 32.10 in July (26.79 in women) and 32.28 in January (27.13 in women). Independently of age, gender and month, the most prescribed medication families in decreasing order were: cardio-vascular system (35%), central nervous system (15%), and digestive and metabolic system (14.5%). Prescriptions for the family of respiratory system treatments were greater in January than in July (9.4% vs 6.1%, p<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
In this study the women consumed more medicinal products than the men, but the mean cost of reimbursement per prescription was higher in the men. The most prescribed class of medication concerned the cardiovascular system. The seasonal factor was characterised by an increase in the number of lines per prescription and a greater prevalence of respiratory system products in January
Durant
Richard
R
Service de médecine interne-gériatrie, Centre Antonin Balmes, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier (34).
Boulanger-Morel
Maryse
M
Ferry
Jeanmarie
J
Blain
Arielle
A
Blain
Hubert
H
Jeandel
Claude
C
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005602:France; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010821:Physicians, Family; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors
La prescription médicamenteuse chez la personne âgée. A propos d'une enquête sur 8,809 ordonnances obtenues par codage, dans la région Nord-Est de la France.