TY - JOUR
T1 - High prevalence of central nervous system medications in community-dwelling older adults with dementia over a three-year period
AU - Fick, D.
AU - Kolanowski, A.
AU - Waller, J.
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to acknowledge Errol Aksu, M.D., Associate Professor, The Pennsylvania State University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, for review of drug classification and the clinical implications of the manuscript section and Shari Walczak for manuscript review and formatting. This study was supported by a Penn State College of Health and Human Development Seed Grant and by the Medical College of Georgia and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia, Center for Healthcare Improvement. Dr Kolanowski is supported in part from a grant from the National Institute of Nursing Research: R01 NR008910. Dr. Fick is supported in part from a grant from the National Institute on Aging: R03 AG023216-01A2.
PY - 2007/9
Y1 - 2007/9
N2 - Few recent studies have investigated the prevalence and outcomes for central nervous system (CNS)-active medication use in older persons with dementia (PWD) who live in the community. Thus, the purpose of this study was to describe the health outcomes and patterns of use of CNS-active drugs in PWD living in the community. Using a retrospective study design from a southeastern managed care organization (MCO), claims data were collected for three years on all identified cases with dementia and included age, gender, medical diagnoses for each claim (International Classification of Disease [ICD-9 code]) and prescription drugs (National Drug Code [NDC]). Individuals (N = 960) were selected who were continuously enrolled and had prescription drug coverage. Over 79% of PWD in this sample were on a CNS-active medication during the three-year period and 35% were on a benzodiazepine. The highest number of drug-related problems (DRPs) within 45 days after receiving a CNS drug prescription were for syncope, fatigue, altered level of consciousness, delirium, constipation, falls and fractures. This study illustrates the need to further examine inappropriate CNS-active medication use in PWD and to test non-pharmacologic therapies for the clinical problems that initiate their use in PWD.
AB - Few recent studies have investigated the prevalence and outcomes for central nervous system (CNS)-active medication use in older persons with dementia (PWD) who live in the community. Thus, the purpose of this study was to describe the health outcomes and patterns of use of CNS-active drugs in PWD living in the community. Using a retrospective study design from a southeastern managed care organization (MCO), claims data were collected for three years on all identified cases with dementia and included age, gender, medical diagnoses for each claim (International Classification of Disease [ICD-9 code]) and prescription drugs (National Drug Code [NDC]). Individuals (N = 960) were selected who were continuously enrolled and had prescription drug coverage. Over 79% of PWD in this sample were on a CNS-active medication during the three-year period and 35% were on a benzodiazepine. The highest number of drug-related problems (DRPs) within 45 days after receiving a CNS drug prescription were for syncope, fatigue, altered level of consciousness, delirium, constipation, falls and fractures. This study illustrates the need to further examine inappropriate CNS-active medication use in PWD and to test non-pharmacologic therapies for the clinical problems that initiate their use in PWD.
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U2 - 10.1080/13607860601086629
DO - 10.1080/13607860601086629
M3 - Article
C2 - 17882597
AN - SCOPUS:34548833601
SN - 1360-7863
VL - 11
SP - 588
EP - 595
JO - Aging and Mental Health
JF - Aging and Mental Health
IS - 5
ER -
