Psychotropic Drug Use in an Ambulatory Elderly Population

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Abstract
Medication histories were obtained from 3192 ambulatory elderly persons participating in a health screening program. A total of 2009 (63%) women and 1183 (37%) men were included in the drug sue study. Flurazepam, pentobarbital and the combination of amobarbital and secobarbital were used by 4.5, 0.6 and 0.4% of participants, respectively, and these 3 agents accounted for 87.6% of all prescribed hypnotic drugs. Diazepam, meprobamate and chlordiazepoxide were the most commonly used minor tranquilizers. Barbiturates were contained in nearly one-fourth of minor tranquilizers used by these elderly subjects. Of the participants in this program < 1% (0.5%) reported the use of a neuroleptic. Approximately 3% of the participants reported the use of an antidepressant drug. Nearly 90% of participants who reported the daily use of a hypnotic agent stated they had been using the product on a daily basis for longer than 1 yr.

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