Dementia management programme in a community setting and the use of psychotropic drugs in the elderly population

Figures & data

Table I. Agents with significant anticholinergic activity frequently used by the elderly in Sweden.

ATC code	Class	Agent
G04BD	Urinary antispasmodics	EmeproneOxybutynineTolterodine
N05AA	Antipsychotics, low potency	ChlorpromazineLevomepromazine
N05AC02	Antipsychotics, low potency	Thioridazine
N05AC03	Antipsychotics, intermediate potency	Melperone
N05BB01	Anxiolytics	Hydroxyzine
N06AA	Antidepressants, non-selective	ImipramineChlomipramineTrimipramineLofepramineAmitriptylineNortriptylineProtriptylineMaprotiline

Figure 1. Yearly sales of antidementia drugs (N06D) expressed as DDD/1000 persons 75 years and older in Kalmar and Sweden from 2000 to 2005 (Kalmar n = 5510 and the whole of Sweden n = 796, 799).

Figure 2. Yearly sales of the major drugs with anticholinergic activity (G04BD, N05AA, N05AC02, N05BB01, N06AA) DDD/1000 persons 75 years and older in Kalmar and Sweden (Kalmar n = 5510 and the whole of Sweden n = 796, 799).

Figure 3. Yearly sales of neuroleptic drugs (N05A) DDD/1000 persons 75 years and older in Kalmar and Sweden (Kalmar n = 5510 and the whole of Sweden n = 796, 799). Author(s):Jedenius, Johnell, Fast-bom, Strömqvist, Winblad, Andreasen

Table II. Number and proportion of persons (%) using neuroleptics, benzodiazepines, sleeping agents, SSRIs, antidementia agents, and drugs with anticholinergic properties among those 75 years and older in Kalmar and Sweden, 2005.¹

	Kalmar (n = 5036)	Sweden total (n = 732230)	OR (95% CI)
Neuroleptics (N05A)	148 (2.9%)	3.3071 (4.5%)	0.71 (0.60–0.84)
Benzodiazepines (N05B)	384 (7.6%)	6.8644 (9.4%)	0.90 (0.81–1.01)
Sleeping agents (N05C)	1032 (20.5%)	16.7338 (22.9%)	0.95 (0.88–1.02)
SSRI antidepressants (N06AB)	577 (11.5%)	82.957 (11.3%)	1.15 (1.05–1.26)
Antidementia agents (N06D)	271 (5.4%)	20.481 (2.8%)	2.14 (1.89–2.43)
Drugs with anticholinergic properties	270 (5.4%)	42.007 (5.7%)	1.05 (0.92–1.19)

¹The difference between Kalmar community and Sweden is expressed as an odds ratio (OR) controlled for age, gender, and number of drugs.