Objective: To determine the prevalence of prescription drug dependence among elderly persons in an inpatient treatment setting, to identify apparent risk factors for drug dependence, and to ascertain what factors led to admission of these patients.
Design: We reviewed the medical records of 100 elderly patients dependent on prescription drugs who were admitted to the Mayo Inpatient Addiction Program between 1974 and 1993.
Material and methods: Demographic features, chronic medical disorders, categories of substance dependence, diagnoses of mental disorders, and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory data were compiled and analyzed.
Results: The mean annual admissions rates for three substance use disorder groups among all elderly persons treated during the 20-year period of study were as follows: alcohol only, 72%; prescription drugs, 16%; and both alcohol and drugs, 12%. The group as a whole was socially intact. Female gender seemed to be a risk factor for drug dependence. By several measures, these elderly patients were characterized as a psychiatric population. The most frequent drug dependence involved sedatives or hypnotics. General medical data did not suggest that these elderly persons were more physically impaired than the general population.
Conclusion: In elderly patients, awareness of coexistent diagnoses is essential in avoiding the inappropriate administration of multiple pharmaceutical agents and the possible risk of associated drug abuse and dependence.