Prevalence and correlates of psychotropic drug use in Dutch nursing-home patients with dementia.
BACKGROUND
Neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia patients are common and are often treated with psychotropic drugs. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and correlates of psychotropic drug use in Dutch nursing home patients with dementia.


METHODS
Psychotropic drug use of 1322 patients on 59 dementia special care units (SCUs) in 25 nursing homes was registered. Drugs were categorized according to the Anatomical Therapeutical Chemical classification (ATC). The influence of age, gender, dementia stage measured by the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS), and type of neuropsychiatric symptoms on psychotropic drug use was analyzed using binomial logistic regression analysis.


RESULTS
63% of the patients used at least one psychotropic drug. Psychotropics in general and antipsychotics in particular were most frequently prescribed in GDS stage 6, and in patients aged between 65 and 75 years. Psychotropics in general were positively associated with depression, night-time behavior and agitation. Antipsychotic drug use was positively associated with psychosis, agitation and night-time behavior and was negatively associated with apathy. Anxiolytics were associated with age, psychosis, agitation and night-time behavior. Antidepressants were most frequently prescribed in GDS stage 6 and associated with female gender, agitation and depression. Sedatives were only associated with night-time behavior.


CONCLUSIONS
Nursing home patients with dementia have a high prevalence of psychotropic drug use. In particular, the association with neuropsychiatric symptoms raises questions of efficacy of these drugs and the risk of chronic use.
Center for Family Medicine, Geriatric Care and Public Health, Radboud University Nijmegen, Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. r.nijk@vanneynsel.nl
Renate M
RM
Nijk
Sytse U
SU
Zuidema
Raymond T C M
RT
Koopmans
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001526:Behavioral Symptoms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D003704:Dementia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs