[Consumption of psychotropic drugs by the aged]

Abstract

Background: The medical prescription increase for psychotropic drugs, and particularly by elderly, are the facts that have motivated this study: 1) elderly psychotropic consumption assessment, 2) identify risk factors consumption.

Methods: Descriptive and cross-sectional survey from individual questionnaires.

Results: The prevalence for psychotropic drugs was 24% in our sample, (72.1% women). 53.3% prescription were realized by family practitioners. 54.3% patients used them for more than three years. The biggest group consumed are the long term benzodiazepines (62.3%).

Conclusions: The high prevalence, the long time of consumption, the use of long-term benzodiazepines, and the fact of that family practitioners are the main prescribers, must make us think about the pertinence and accuracy of these medical prescriptions.