Abstract
Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) are prescribed with caution in the elderly due to diverse side effects. We analyzed the patterns of TCA use in elderly patients in primary-care and specialty clinics and investigated factors influencing TCA prescriptions. Elderly patients (≥65 years old) prescribed antidepressants in primary-care clinics in 2013 were included from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service-Aged Patient Sample (HIRA-APS). Prevalence of TCA prescriptions was assessed by insurance coverage status, clinical specialty, and region. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to compute odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for factors associated with TCA prescriptions. TCAs and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) comprised 45.2% and 15.0% of all antidepressant prescriptions, respectively. TCAs comprised 61.5% and 20.7% of antidepressant prescriptions for pain and depression, respectively. Patients aged ≥85 years were less likely to be treated with TCAs (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.79-0.84) than those aged 65-69 years. The odds for being prescribed TCAs were higher for patients residing in cities (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.18-1.23), treated in nonpsychiatric clinics (OR 5.64, 95% CI 5.53-5.76), and those covered by Veteran's Health (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.37-1.90) when compared to patients residing in the Seoul metropolitan area, treated in psychiatric clinics, or covered by National Health Insurance, respectively. The prescriptions of TCAs with pain diagnoses were much higher than prescriptions for depression (OR 1.87, 95%CI 1.82-1.93). Compared with a 2005 report, the prevalence of TCA prescriptions in elderly patients in Korea has decreased substantially, but remains high. Various efforts should be considered to reduce TCA prescriptions in the elderly. .
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Int. Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
