title: The use of anticholinergic medications in homebound elderly patients with dementia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Identify the number of homebound older adults admitted to a home-based health care agency in 2003 with a diagnosis of dementia. Compare the use of anticholinergic medications in older adults with a diagnosis of dementia to a matched comparison group without a diagnosis of dementia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective, cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Home health care agency in the eastern part of Washington State serving the homebound.
  
  
  METHODS
  Homebound subjects 60 years of age or older with or without a diagnosis of dementia.
  
  
  METHODS
  N/A.
  
  
  METHODS
  Number of homebound subjects with a diagnosis of dementia. Comparison of those in the group diagnosed with dementia (n = 50) to a matched cohort in the group with no dementia diagnosis (n = 50) in regard to use of drugs with anticholinergic activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From a population of 1,746 patients served in 2003 who met the study criteria, 107 (6.1%) patients had a diagnosis of dementia. Of these, 50 were studied. Of the subjects with dementia, 62% were prescribed a drug with anticholinergic activity, compared with 80% of subjects without dementia. Fewer patients in the study group were prescribed anticholinergic drugs than in the comparison group. The primary drugs with anticholinergic activity cited most often were olanzapine, hydroxyzine, and mirtazapine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Drugs with anticholinergic activity are used frequently in an older homebound population, irrespective of a dementia diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Socioeconomic Research, Welsh School of Pharmacy, Cardiff University, Wales, UK.
authors.forename: Wen-Yi
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Stephen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Setter
authors.forename: David Alexander
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Sclar
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salek
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Corbett
authors.forename: Anne L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Henriksen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015331:Cohort Studies; D000075202:Contraindications; D003704:Dementia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D018574:Home Care Agencies; D018577:Homebound Persons; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'
chemical_list: D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists