Pattern of psychotropic drug usage in psychiatric illnesses among elderly

This study evaluated the pattern of psychiatric illness and usage of psychotropic drugs in elderly patients attending the psychiatry out patient department of a tertiary care hospital. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted for a period of one year (June 2007 until May 2008) in the psychiatry out-patient department of a tertiary care hospital in Mangalore, Karnataka, India. The medical records of 78 elderly (age>60) patients attending psychiatric out patient department were reviewed. The demographic details, diagnosis, co-morbid illnesses and drugs prescribed were collected. Prescription of 78 patients were studied, out of which 39 (50%) were for males and 39 (50%) for females. The most common illness among these individuals was depression (29.5%) followed by psychosis (21.8%).The most commonly prescribed drugs were benzodiazepines (50 out of 78, 64%), antidepressants (39 out of 78, 50%) and antipsychotic agents (34 out of 78, 43.6%). Depression is the most common illness followed by psychosis in elderly. Sertraline and risperidone are the most commonly used antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs among elderly patients.