Sedative load and salivary secretion and xerostomia in community-dwelling older people.
OBJECTIVE
The aim was to investigate how sedative load and the total number of drugs used are related to hyposalivation and xerostomia among 75-year-old or older dentate, non-smoking, community-dwelling people.


METHODS
The study population consisted of 152 older people from the Oral Health GeMS study. The data were collected by interviews and clinical examinations during 2004-2005. Sedative load, which measures the cumulative effect of taking multiple drugs with sedative properties, was calculated using the Sedative Load Model.


RESULTS
The results showed that participants with a sedative load of either 1-2 or ≥3 had an increased likelihood of having low stimulated salivary flow (<0.7 ml/min; OR: 2.4; CI: 0.6-8.6 and OR: 11; CI: 2.2-59; respectively) and low unstimulated salivary flow (<0.1 ml/min; OR: 2.7, CI: 1.0-7.4 and OR: 4.5, CI: 1.0-20, respectively) compared with participants without a sedative load. Participants with a sedative load ≥3 had an increased likelihood of having xerostomia (OR: 2.5, CI: 0.5-12) compared with participants without a sedative load. The results showed that the association between the total number of drugs and hyposalivation was weaker than the association between sedative load and hyposalivation.


CONCLUSIONS
Sedative load is strongly related to hyposalivation and to a lesser extent with xerostomia. The adverse effects of drugs on saliva secretion are specifically related to drugs with sedative properties.
Department of Periodontology and Geriatric Dentistry, Institute of Dentistry, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
Antti
A
Tiisanoja
Department of Periodontology and Geriatric Dentistry, Institute of Dentistry, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.|Dental Training Clinic, Social and Health services, City of Oulu, Finland.
Anna-Maija
AM
Syrjälä
School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.|Social and Health Centre of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland.
Kaija
K
Komulainen
Department of Social Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.|Unit of Clinical Pharmacology and Geriatric Pharmacotherapy, School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
Sirpa
S
Hartikainen
Department of Social Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.|Unit of Clinical Pharmacology and Geriatric Pharmacotherapy, School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
Heidi
H
Taipale
Department of Periodontology and Geriatric Dentistry, Institute of Dentistry, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
Matti
M
Knuuttila
Department of Periodontology and Geriatric Dentistry, Institute of Dentistry, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.|Institute of Dentistry, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.|Oral and Maxillofacial Department, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.|Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
Pekka
P
Ylöstalo
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D019338:Polypharmacy; D012307:Risk Factors; D012463:Saliva / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D012636:Secretory Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology
D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives
aged; independent living; medication; salivation; xerostomia