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  • Title: [Use of psychotropic drugs in a group of nursing home patients with dementia: many users, long-term use but low dosages].
    Author: Koopmans RT, van Rossum JM, van den Hoogen HJ, Hekster YA, Willekens-Bogaers MA, van Weel C.
    Journal: Tijdschr Gerontol Geriatr; 1993 Dec; 24(6):214-9. PubMed ID: 7903494.
    Abstract:
    Of 890 nursing home patients with dementia, admitted between 1980 en 1989 to Dutch nursing home 'Joachim en Anna' in Nijmegen, each episode of psychotropic drug use was retrospectively registered. Drugs were coded by means of the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC)-classification system and the daily dose was expressed as the ratio of the prescribed daily dose and the internationally agreed defined daily dose. Side effects were analysed as were changes in prescription patterns throughout the years of patient admittance. A total of 3090 episodes were registered. Neuroleptics, benzodiazepines and antidepressants accounted for 58, 32 and 9% of the prescriptions. In almost every drug-prescription the prescribed daily dose was lower than the defined daily dose. More than 75% of the patients had at least one prescription for a psychotropic drug during institutionalization. Half of those patients who used a neuroleptic showed one or more side effects. Neither the total amount of patients with psychotropics nor the duration of usage changed throughout the years of patient admittance. It is concluded that a majority of these nursing home patients got at least one prescription of a psychotropic drug during institutionalization. Psychotropics were prescribed for long-term usage, but in low doses. Side effects were frequently observed in determining the right dose.
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