The use of chemical restraints for older long-term hospital patients: a case report from Finland.
The purpose of this study was to describe the use and concomitant use of psychotropics and other drugs as chemical restraints in the aged in long-term hospital care. The study consisted of 154 patients (42 men, 112 women) hospitalized in five long-term care wards in Pori City Hospital, Finland. Three or more psychotropics were regularly given to 33% of the patients and regularly or irregularly to 53% of the patients. Two or more benzodiazepine derivatives or related drugs were regularly given to 24% of the patients and regularly or irregularly to 46% of the patients. The very poor cognitive and functional abilities of the patients, the common concomitant use of psychotropic drugs, the use of psychotropics to control the behavior of the patients, and the lack of documentation of the effects and side effects of the drugs give rise to the conclusion that psychotropics were used as chemical restraints in these long-term care wards.
Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku and Turku Health Centre, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland. janurm@utu.fi
Janne
J
Nurminen
Juha
J
Puustinen
Matti
M
Kukola
Sirkka-Liisa
SL
Kivelä
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D032763:Behavior Control / Q000379:methods*; D004552:Elder Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014149:Tranquilizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D014149:Tranquilizing Agents