title: Use of psychotropic medications by caregivers of elderly patients with dementia: is this a sign of caregiver burden?
abstract: This study evaluated the consumption of psychotropic medications by caregivers of elderly patients with or without dementia. This was a cross-sectional study conducted at all geriatric units in Brasília, Brazil, during a two-month period. Structured interviews were performed with 311 caregivers of people with or without dementia and they completed questionnaires. Among the caregivers, 196 (63%) were caregivers of patients with dementia and 115 (37%) were caregivers of patients without dementia. Forty-four caregivers (14.1%) were taking psychotropic drugs (benzodiazepines or antidepressants), and this usage was more frequent among caregivers of patients with dementia (p<0.01). Twenty-two caregivers of patients with dementia (11.4%) had used sleeping pills after beginning care, compared with only five (4.3%) caregivers of patients without dementia (p<0.01). In conclusion, this study found that caregivers of patients with dementia took psychotropic drugs (benzodiazepines and antidepressants) more frequently than the ones of patients without dementia.
authors.affiliation: Brasília University, Brasília, DF, Brazil. einstein@unb.br
authors.forename: Einstein Francisco
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Camargos
authors.forename: Andrea Brígida
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Aline Silva
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.forename: Alessandra Cicari
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Morais-E-Silva
authors.forename: Juliana Lima
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Quintas
authors.forename: Luciana Lilian
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Louzada
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Medeiros-Souza
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000188:drug therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs