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Antipsychotic medication and the elderly

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 August 2021

D. Jardak ,
S. Omri ,
R. Feki ,
N. Smaoui ,
J. Ben Thabet ,
L. Zouari ,
N. Charfi ,
M. Maalej Bouali  and
M. Maalej
D. Jardak*
Affiliation:
Psychiatrie C, Hedi chaker hospital, sfax, Tunisia
S. Omri
Affiliation:
Psychiatry C Department, Hedi chaker University hospital, sfax, Tunisia
R. Feki
Affiliation:
Psychiatry C Department, Hedi chaker University hospital, sfax, Tunisia
N. Smaoui
Affiliation:
Psychiatry C Department, Hedi chaker University hospital, sfax, Tunisia
J. Ben Thabet
Affiliation:
Psychiatry C Department, Hedi chaker University hospital, sfax, Tunisia
L. Zouari
Affiliation:
Psychiatry C Department, Hedi chaker University hospital, sfax, Tunisia
N. Charfi
Affiliation:
Psychiatry C Department, Hedi chaker University hospital, sfax, Tunisia
M. Maalej Bouali
Affiliation:
Psychiatry C Department, Hedi chaker University hospital, sfax, Tunisia
M. Maalej
Affiliation:
Psychiatrie C, Hedi chaker hospital, sfax, Tunisia
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

In recent years, the use of antipsychotics (AP) has been widely debated for reasons concerning their efficacy and safety in the elderly.

Objectives

We aimed to assess the prescription of AP in the elderly subjects.

Methods

We led a retrospective and descriptive study. We extracted all patients aged 65 years or older who consulted the psychiatric outpatient unit at the Hedi Chaker hospital in Sfax –Tunisia between January 1 and December 31 2019 and who were treated with AP. General, clinical and therapeutic data were collected from medical records.

Results

The mean age of patients was 71,7 years. Medical conditions were observed in 53,1% of them. The reasons for consultation were behavioral disturbances (34,4%), insomnia (18,8%) and memory impairment (15,6%). The main retained diagnoses were dementia (40,6%), mood disorders (28,1%), delusional disorder (15,6%). The indications for prescribing antipsychotics were disruptive behavior (59,4%) and delirium/hallucinations (34,4%). Laboratory examinations and electrocardiogram were performed respectively in 46,8% and 15,6% of cases. AP treatment was prescribed in 90,6% of cases right from the first consultation. Atypical AP were prescribed in 56,2% of cases. Adverse effects were noted in 18,7% of patients. The average time to get a response was 7.3 weeks

Conclusions

The use of AP in the elderly requires an individual assessment, case by case; particular caution is recommended.

Conflict of interest

No significant relationships.

Type
Abstract
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 64 , Special Issue S1: Abstracts of the 29th European Congress of Psychiatry , April 2021 , pp. S371
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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