title: Consumption of pharmaceuticals in primary non-Alzheimer's degenerative dementias : a cross-sectional study by the Registry of Dementias of Girona (ReDeGi).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Limited information exists regarding the consumption of psychopharmaceuticals for non-Alzheimer's degenerative dementias (n-ADDs), despite the fact that the treatment of neuropsychiatric symptoms of these diseases is an important challenge for clinicians.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to describe sociodemographic and clinical data from 235 patients with various subtypes of n-ADD, together with the level of consumption of pharmaceuticals with central nervous system activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive, observational, cross-sectional study was conducted using the data registered by the Registry of Dementias of Girona, northeast Catalunya, Spain. All drugs were categorized according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed a high level of psychopharmaceutical prescription: 48.9 % of the n-ADD patients used acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and 9.8 % used memantine. Antipsychotics and benzodiazepines were prescribed to 45.5 and 46.8 % of the patients, respectively. Antidepressants were consumed by 70.2 % of the registered cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High levels of psychopharmaceutical prescribing were observed in our study and many of these prescriptions lacked specific indications for n-ADDs. It is necessary to consider the risk-benefit relationship before prescribing pharmaceuticals. Specific training programmes will be necessary to improve the use of pharmaceuticals in n-ADD patients.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit, Institut d'Assistència Sanitària, Salt, Girona, Spain.
authors.forename: Secundino
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: López-Pousa
authors.forename: Oriol
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Turró-Garriga
authors.forename: Laia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Calvó-Perxas
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Carmona
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gich
authors.forename: Elisabet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alsina
authors.forename: Fabià
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Màrquez
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Viñas
authors.forename: Josefa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Turbau
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vilalta-Franch
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Roig
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Garre-Olmo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs