Citation

Ferracin C, Guy C, Beyens MN, Ratrema M, Ollagnier M. Therapie 1998; 53(4): e172.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, John Libbey Eurotext)

DOI

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PMID

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Abstract

For 1995 and 1996, 245 cases were selected on the following criteria: admission to hospital, sequelae, vital prognosis, death, age: over 74 years old, psychiatric disorders.. The 245 cases corresponded to 86 men and 159 women. The patient's average age was 82 years. The more frequent adverse effects reported were: mental derangement (52,6 %) and clinical signs that can evoke this disease: anorexia 12,2 %, hallucination 11,4 %, restlessness 10,6 %, drowsiness 10,6 %, confusion 9,7 %, delirium 4,4 %, amnesia 2,4 %. Three attempted suicides were pointed out. The outcome was favourable for 72 % of the cases, was unknown for 20 % of the cases. There was 4,4 % of death; half of them possibly resulted from the adverse effects; 3,2 % of patients kept sequelaes. Among suspected medications, the most common classes found were cardiovascular drugs 40 %, antidepressants 22,8 %, antipsychotics 15,5 %, tacrine 11,5 %, vasodilatators and anti-ischemics 11%, minor tranquilisers 9,7 %, and hypnosedatives 8,1 %. There were 11,4 % of overdosages, most of which was associated to digitalis (7,3 %). With regard to imputability, 72 % of drugs had been imputed Ii (doubtful), 20,7 % had been imputed li (plausible), and 7,2 % had been imputed Ij (probable).

Language: en