Display options
Cite
Black CD, McCarthy L, Gomes T, et al. Interprovincial Variation of Psychotropic Prescriptions Dispensed to Older Canadian Adults. Can Geriatr J. 2018;21(3):269-273doi: 10.5770/cgj.21.307.
Black, C. D., McCarthy, L., Gomes, T., Mamdani, M., Juurlink, D., & Tadrous, M. (2018). Interprovincial Variation of Psychotropic Prescriptions Dispensed to Older Canadian Adults. Canadian geriatrics journal : CGJ, 21(3), 269-273. https://doi.org/10.5770/cgj.21.307
Black, Cody D, et al. "Interprovincial Variation of Psychotropic Prescriptions Dispensed to Older Canadian Adults." Canadian geriatrics journal : CGJ vol. 21,3 (2018): 269-273. doi: https://doi.org/10.5770/cgj.21.307
Black CD, McCarthy L, Gomes T, Mamdani M, Juurlink D, Tadrous M. Interprovincial Variation of Psychotropic Prescriptions Dispensed to Older Canadian Adults. Can Geriatr J. 2018 Sep 30;21(3):269-273. doi: 10.5770/cgj.21.307. eCollection 2018 Sep. PMID: 30271512; PMCID: PMC6136906.
Copy Download .nbib Format: NLM
Share it on

Can Geriatr J. 2018 Sep 30;21(3):269-273. doi: 10.5770/cgj.21.307. eCollection 2018 Sep.

Interprovincial Variation of Psychotropic Prescriptions Dispensed to Older Canadian Adults.

Canadian geriatrics journal : CGJ

Cody D Black, Lisa McCarthy, Tara Gomes, Muhammad Mamdani, David Juurlink, Mina Tadrous

Affiliations

  1. School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
  2. Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, ON, Canada.
  3. Women's College Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.
  4. Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Toronto, ON, Canada.
  5. Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
  6. Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
  7. Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada.

PMID: 30271512 PMCID: PMC6136906 DOI: 10.5770/cgj.21.307

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Utilization of psychotropic medications among the elderly has garnered attention due to concerns about safety and degree of efficacy, but may be used differently across regions.

METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of all antipsychotic, benzodiazepine, and trazodone prescriptions dispensed to seniors ( ≥ 65 years) leveraging IQVIA (Durham, NC) GPM data in 2013. We report the units dispensed (per 100 seniors) by province.

RESULTS: Nationally, on average, 26,210 units of antipsychotics, 24,257 of benzodiazepines, and 7,519 of trazodone were dispensed in 2013 for every 100 seniors; reports varied across Canada. The rate of antipsychotic and benzodiazepine prescribing was highest in New Brunswick (AP: 35,375 units per 100, BZD: 43,989 units per 100), and lowest in Newfoundland & Labrador for antipsychotics (20,974 per 100) and Saskatchewan for benzodiazepines (12,692 per 100). Trazodone unit dispensation rates were highest in Nova Scotia (9,164 per 100) and lowest in Newfoundland & Labrador (2,968 per 100).

CONCLUSIONS: There is considerable geographic variation in the prescribing patterns of antipsychotics, benzodiazepine, and trazodone. This study serves as the first step in understanding these differences, while future work is needed to develop region-specific strategies to optimize the prescribing of psychotropic medications to older Canadian adults.

Keywords: antipsychotics; benzodiazepines; potentially inappropriate prescribing; psychotropics; trazodone

Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURES Dr. Mamdani has received honoraria from Boehringer Ingelheim, Pfizer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Bayer. All other authors declare no potential conflicts of interest wit

References

  1. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2015 Nov;63(11):2227-46 - PubMed
  2. Expert Opin Drug Saf. 2011 Jan;10(1):35-43 - PubMed
  3. J Clin Psychiatry. 2005 Apr;66(4):469-76 - PubMed
  4. CNS Drugs. 2003;17(11):825-37 - PubMed
  5. Expert Opin Drug Saf. 2004 Sep;3(5):485-93 - PubMed
  6. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2001 Oct;49(10):1294-300 - PubMed
  7. Drugs Real World Outcomes. 2016 May 13;3(2):175-182 - PubMed
  8. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2014 Dec;22(12):1565-74 - PubMed
  9. Age Ageing. 2015 Mar;44(2):213-8 - PubMed
  10. BMJ. 2005 Nov 19;331(7526):1169 - PubMed
  11. Curr Pharm Des. 2002;8(1):45-58 - PubMed
  12. Implement Sci. 2016 Mar 29;11:45 - PubMed
  13. Neurology. 2000 Nov 14;55(9):1271-8 - PubMed
  14. CMAJ. 2014 Jun 10;186(9):E309 - PubMed

Publication Types