Psychotropic medication use among nursing home residents in Austria: a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The use of psychotropic medications and their adverse effects in frail elderly has been debated extensively. However, recent data from European studies show that these drugs are still frequently prescribed in nursing home residents. In Austria, prevalence data are lacking. We aimed to determine the prevalence of psychotropic medication prescription in Austrian nursing homes and to explore characteristics associated with their prescription.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cross-sectional study and association analysis in forty-eight out of 50 nursing homes with 1844 out of a total of 2005 residents in a defined urban-rural region in Austria. Prescribed medication was retrieved from residents' charts. Psychotropic medications were coded according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification 2005. Cluster-adjusted multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate institutional and residents' characteristics associated with prescription.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Residents' mean age was 81; 73% of residents were female. Mean cluster-adjusted prevalence of residents with at least one psychotropic medication was 74.6% (95% confidence interval, CI, 72.0–77.2). A total of 45.9% (95% CI 42.7–49.1) had at least one prescription of an antipsychotic medication. Two third of all antipsychotic medications were prescribed for bedtime use only. Anxiolytics were prescribed in 22.2% (95% CI 20.0–24.5), hypnotics in 13.3% (95% CI 11.3–15.4), and antidepressants in 36.8% (95% CI 34.1–39.6) of residents. None of the institutional characteristics and only few residents' characteristics were significantly associated with psychotropic medication prescription. Permanent restlessness was positively associated with psychotropic medication prescription (AOR 1.54, 95% CI 1.32–1.79) whereas cognitive impairment was inversely associated (AOR 0.70, 95% CI 0.56–0.88).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Frequency of psychotropic medication prescription is high in Austrian nursing homes compared to recent published data from other countries. Interventions should aim at reduction and optimisation of prescriptions.</p

Iron Behaving Badly: Inappropriate Iron Chelation as a Major Contributor to the Aetiology of Vascular and Other Progressive Inflammatory and Degenerative Diseases

The production of peroxide and superoxide is an inevitable consequence of aerobic metabolism, and while these particular "reactive oxygen species" (ROSs) can exhibit a number of biological effects, they are not of themselves excessively reactive and thus they are not especially damaging at physiological concentrations. However, their reactions with poorly liganded iron species can lead to the catalytic production of the very reactive and dangerous hydroxyl radical, which is exceptionally damaging, and a major cause of chronic inflammation. We review the considerable and wide-ranging evidence for the involvement of this combination of (su)peroxide and poorly liganded iron in a large number of physiological and indeed pathological processes and inflammatory disorders, especially those involving the progressive degradation of cellular and organismal performance. These diseases share a great many similarities and thus might be considered to have a common cause (i.e. iron-catalysed free radical and especially hydroxyl radical generation). The studies reviewed include those focused on a series of cardiovascular, metabolic and neurological diseases, where iron can be found at the sites of plaques and lesions, as well as studies showing the significance of iron to aging and longevity. The effective chelation of iron by natural or synthetic ligands is thus of major physiological (and potentially therapeutic) importance. As systems properties, we need to recognise that physiological observables have multiple molecular causes, and studying them in isolation leads to inconsistent patterns of apparent causality when it is the simultaneous combination of multiple factors that is responsible. This explains, for instance, the decidedly mixed effects of antioxidants that have been observed, etc...Comment: 159 pages, including 9 Figs and 2184 reference

Sleep problems and social support: Frailty in a Brazilian Elderly Multicenter Study Problemas de sueño y soporte social: estudio multicéntrico sobre Fragilidad en Ancianos Brasileños Problemas de sono e suporte social: estudo multicêntrico Fragilidade em Idosos Brasileiros

This study identifies relationships among the quality of perceived social support and sleep problems and napping habits in community-dwelling elderly. This study is part of a larger multicenter project entitled "Frailty in Brazilian Elderly Individuals", conducted in 17 Brazilian cities. A total of 498 elderly individuals capable of participating in interviews and free of cognitive deficits or functional impairment were found. The following instruments were used in data collection: Questionnaire addressing socio-demographic data; Interpersonal Support Evaluation Scale; questions concerning sleep patterns (Nottingham Health Profile); questions related to napping habits (Minnesota Leisure Activity Questionnaire). Descriptive statistics and the Mann-Whitney test were used for data analysis. The elderly individuals who reported having sleep problems in general, taking longer to fall asleep and sleeping poorly at night had lower scores on the Interpersonal Support Evaluation Scale than the elderly who denied such problems. Strategies to improve the quality of social support could also help reduce sleep problems.<br>Este artículo tiene como objetivo identificar relaciones entre calidad del soporte social percibido, problemas de sueño y hábito de dormitar, en ancianos de la comunidad. Se trata de un recorte del estudio Fragilidad en Ancianos Brasileiros (FIBRA), proyecto multicéntrico desarrollado en 17 ciudades brasileñas. Participaron 498 ancianos, capaces de responder a las entrevistas, sin déficit cognitivo o funcional grave. Se adoptó para la recolección de datos: el Cuestionario Sociodemográfico; la Escala de Percepción de la Calidad del Soporte Social; preguntas sobre problemas de sueño (Perfil de Salud de Nottingham); y, preguntas sobre el hábito de dormitar (Minnesota Leisure Activity Questionnaire). Se utilizó estadística descriptiva y prueba de Mann-Whitney para tratamiento de los datos. Los ancianos que refirieron problemas de sueño en general, demorar en adormecer y dormir mal en la noche, presentaron puntajes inferiores a los de ancianos que negaban esos problemas, en la Escala de Percepción de Calidad de Soporte Social. Las estrategias para mejorar la calidad de soporte social podrían contribuir para minimizar los problemas de sueño.<br>Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo identificar relações entre qualidade do suporte social percebido, problemas de sono e hábito de cochilar, em idosos da comunidade. Trata-se de recorte do estudo Fragilidade em Idosos Brasileiros (Fibra), projeto multicêntrico, desenvolvido em 17 cidades brasileiras. Participaram 498 idosos, capazes de responder às entrevistas, sem déficit cognitivo ou funcional grave. Adotou-se, para coleta de dados: questionário sociodemográfico, escala de percepção da qualidade do suporte social, questões sobre problemas de sono (perfil de saúde de Nottingham); questões sobre hábito de cochilar (Minnesota Leisure Activity Questionnaire). Utilizou-se estatística descritiva e teste de Mann-Whitney para tratamento dos dados. Idosos que referiram problemas de sono em geral, demorar para adormecer e dormir mal à noite apresentaram escores inferiores aos dos idosos que negavam esses problemas, na escala de percepção de qualidade de suporte social. Estratégias para melhoria da qualidade de suporte social poderiam contribuir para minimizar problemas de sono

Phylogenetic Origins And Adaptive Evolution Of Avian And Mammalian Hemoglobin Genes

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/62781/1/298297a0.pd