Psychotropic drug use in older people with mental illness with particular reference to antipsychotics: a systematic study of tolerability and use in different diagnostic groups.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study was to provide observational clinical data on psychotropic drugs used in older people with mental illness.


METHODS
This was an observational, single-centre, one-week prevalence study of psychiatric symptoms, disorders and psychotropic drug use in older with mental illness cared for by the South West people Yorkshire Mental Health NHS Trust (Wakefield Locality), UK. The clinical assessment included completion of the Psychosis Evaluation Tool for Common use by Caregivers.


RESULTS
A total of 593/660 older patients with mental illness (mean +/- SD age, 76 +/- 8.1 years were assessed. 44.5% had dementia (excluding vascular dementia) and 33.7% had a mood disorder. Of the total, 20.4% did not receive CNS active medication. Of those receiving CNS active medication approximately half (51.3%) took antipsychotics and 46.2% antidepressants. Of 304 patients taking antipsychotics, 87% took only one medication. However, patients with schizophrenia and related disorders were significantly more likely to be prescribed two or more antipsychotics (p < 0.001). Risperidone was the most frequently prescribed antipsychotic (n = 136, 44.7%). Risperidone doses were significantly lower for patients with dementia and mood disorders than with schizophrenia (p < 0.002). Side-effects from antipsychotics were significantly greater in patients with schizophrenia, suggesting a dose-related effect. Risperidone appeared to be well tolerated in all patients with no evidence of cerebrovascular side-effects in patients taking it.


CONCLUSIONS
Psychotropic drugs were commonly used by older people in contact with mental health services. The doses of antipsychotics used in dementia and affective disorders were significantly lower than in schizophrenia. Risperidone was the most commonly used drug in all diagnostic groups including dementia. Despite a relatively large numbers of patients receiving risperidone in this naturalistic study, no serious side-effects were reported or identified. In this paper we focus our findings on antipsychotics in the light of recent advice from the Committee on Safety of Medicines (UK).
Curran
Stephen
S
Ageing and Mental Health Research Unit, School of Human and Health Sciences, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield HD1 3DH, UK. s.curran@hud.ac.uk
Turner
Debbie
D
Musa
Shabir
S
Wattis
John
J
D000341:Affective Disorders, Psychotic / Q000188:drug therapy; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003704:Dementia / Q000188:drug therapy; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004739:England; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018967:Risperidone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D018967:Risperidone