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A survey of psychotropic drug use in elderly psychiatric inpatients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Ruth Loane ,
Sheila McGauran ,
Con Buckley ,
Fenton Howell ,
Zachary Johnson  and
Angela Mohan
Ruth Loane
Affiliation:
Joint Homelessness Team, 8 King Street, Covent Garden, London WC2 E 8HN, England
Sheila McGauran
Affiliation:
Kildare Mental Health, Service, Naas, Co. Kildare, Ireland
Con Buckley
Affiliation:
Resettlement Team, St Brendan's Hospital, Dublin 7, Ireland
Fenton Howell
Affiliation:
Specialist in Public Health Medicine, North Eastern Health Board, Dundalk, Ireland
Zachary Johnson
Affiliation:
Health Information Unit, Eastern Health Board, Dublin, Ireland
Angela Mohan
Affiliation:
St Brendan's Hospital, Dublin 7, Ireland
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Abstract

Objective: The objective of the present study was to examine the use of medication in an elderly psychiatric inpatient population.

Method: This was a retrospective survey of medication prescribed to the total elderly inpatient population of a single psychiatric hospital. Data collected included basic sociodemographic information, length of stay, number of admissions, frequency of psychiatric disturbance, diagnosis and medication prescribed.

Results: A total of 340 cases were studied, 229 (67%) were female, 324 (95%) had been inpatients for more than one year, 111 (33%) suffered from dementia, while the remainder were in the functional category. In 57% more than one psychotropic drug was used. Over half (56%) of those with dementia were on neuroleptic medication.

Conclusion: Psychotropic polypharmacy was found in this population of elderly patients. Management issues emphasised include the risk of polypharmacy in this age group, the need for staff education, an active pharmacy committee and alternative methods of managing behavioural disturbance in elderly patients in particular those with dementia.

Keywords

PolypharmacyPsychotropicElderlyPsychiatricInpatientsPrescribing
Type
Audits
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 14 , Issue 3 , September 1997 , pp. 108 - 111
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1997

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