The magazine 60 Millions de consommateurs warns against certain inappropriate drugs given to residents of nursing homes.
At the end of 2019, 730,000 people attended or lived in an accommodation establishment for the elderly, i.e. 10% of those over 75, according to figures communicated by the Dres. In 2017, a study unveiled by 60 million consumers revealed that 20% of people over 65 took more than seven different medications a day. Undesirable effects or accidents, this overconsumption of drugs is not without risk for the health of the most fragile people.
The magazine was once again interested in the drugs consumed by the oldest people. Indeed, if the molecules all have a marketing authorization, they can sometimes provide fewer benefits (and more risks) depending on the age of the patients.
Benzodiazepines and anticholinergics
In a study reported by 60 million consumers, researchers have pointed to certain drugs that are unsuitable for people over 75. Specifically, the magazine denounces the sometimes inappropriate use “short half-life benzodiazepines (Temesta, Xanax, etc.)” and “anticholinergics – in particular the antipsychotic chlorpromazine – and for combinations of drugs acting on the central nervous system (benzodiazepines, antidepressants, opiates, antiepileptics, etc.)“.
According to the magazine, seniors who live at home are most at risk of taking more “benzodiazepines with a long half-life (Lexomil, Valium, etc.) and the concomitant intake of at least two nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)Another worrying figure revealed by the consumer association, 54% of people living in nursing homes receive at least one potentially inappropriate drug, compared to 29% of people kept at home.
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