title: The prevalence of potential alcohol-drug interactions in older adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess the possibility of clinically significant drug-alcohol interactions among home-dwelling older adults aged ≥ 65 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was a cross-sectional assessment of a stratified random sample of 2100 elderly people (≥ 65 years) in Espoo, Finland. The response rate was 71.6% from the community-dwelling sample. The drugs were coded according to their Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification index (ATC DDD 2012). Significant alcohol interactive (AI) drugs were examined according to the Swedish, Finnish, INteraction X-referencing (SFINX) interaction database, as well as concomitant use of central nervous system drugs, hypoglycaemics, and warfarin with alcohol. "At-risk alcohol users" were defined consuming > 7 drinks/week, or ≥ 5 drinks on a typical drinking day, or using ≥ 3 drinks several times/week, "moderate users" as consuming at least one drink/month, but less than 7 drinks/week, and "minimal/non-users" less than one drink/month.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the total sample (n = 1395), 1142 respondents responded as using at least one drug. Of the drug users, 715 (62.6%) persons used alcohol. The mean number of medications was 4.2 (SD 2.5) among "at-risk users", 4.0 (SD 2.6) among "moderate users", and 5.4 (SD 3.4) among "minimal/non-users" (p < 0.001). The concomitant use of AI drugs was widespread. Among the "at-risk users", "moderate users", and "minimal/nonusers" 42.2%, 34.9%, and 52.7%, respectively, were on AI drugs (p < 0.001). One in 10 of "at-risk users" used warfarin, hypnotics/sedatives, or metformin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of AI drugs is common among older adults, and this increases the potential risks related to the use of alcohol.
authors.affiliation: Espoo City Social and Health Services, Network of Academic Health Centers, University of Helsinki, Unit of General Practice, University Hospital of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. sirpa.h.immonen@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: Sirpa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Immonen
authors.forename: Jaakko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Valvanne
authors.forename: Kaisu H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Pitkälä
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004347:Drug Interactions; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D055553:Prescription Drugs; D000431:Ethanol