title: Psychotropic drug use among people with dementia--a six-month follow-up study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Psychotropic drugs are widely used among old people with dementia but few studies have described long-term treatment in this group of patients. The purpose of this study was to explore the long-term use of psychotropic drugs in old people with dementia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on psychotropic drug use, functioning in the activities of daily living (ADL), cognitive function and behavioral and psychological symptoms were collected at baseline and six months later, using the Multi-Dimensional Dementia Assessment Scale (MDDAS). The data were collected in 2005-2006. Detailed data about the prescribing of psychotropic drugs were collected from prescription records. This study was conducted in 40 specialized care units in northern Sweden, with a study population of 278 people with dementia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the start of the study, 229 of the participants (82%) were prescribed at least one psychotropic drug; 150 (54%) used antidepressants, 43 (16%) used anxiolytics, 107 (38%) used hypnotics and sedatives, and 111 (40%) used antipsychotics. Among the baseline users of antidepressants, anxiolytics, hypnotics and sedatives and antipsychotics, 67%, 44%, 57% and 57% respectively, still used the same dose of the same psychotropic drug after six months. Associations were found between behavioral and psychological symptoms and different psychotropic drugs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychotropic drug use was high among people with dementia living in specialized care units and in many cases the drugs were used for extended periods. It is very important to monitor the effects and adverse effects of the prescribed drug in this frail group of people.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neurosciences, Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Geriatric Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. maria.gustafsson@pharm.umu.se.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gustafsson
authors.forename: Stig
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karlsson
authors.forename: Yngve
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gustafson
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lövheim
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D003704:Dementia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017723:Drug Utilization Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012919:Social Behavior; D013548:Sweden
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs