Psychotropic drug use in patients with various chronic somatic diseases

Background and Objectives: To reveal insight into prevalence and incidence of psychotropic drug use in patients with various chronic somatic diseases and into time differences between incidence of the somatic disease and start of psychotropic drug use. Methods: A cohort study was performed using the Agis Health Database from 2002 to 2005. Patients with one or more of nine frequently occurring chronic somatic diseases were selected (N = 140,983). The non-exposed group (N = 417,486) was composed of patients without any of these nine diseases. For the somatic disease prescribed drugs were used as a proxy-indicator. Prevalences and incidences of psychotropic drug use were calculated as well as mean time between the incidence of the somatic disease and release date of the psychotropic drug. Results: Prevalence of antidepressant drugs and benzodiazepines was increased among patients with somatic diseases, with odds ratios of respectively 1.83 (95%CI 1.80-1.87) and 2.31 (95%CI 2.27-2.35). In the first year after incidence of the somatic disease, mean duration in time to start of psychotropic drug use was significantly shorter compared to patients without somatic disease. Conclusions: Physicians should be aware of the high prevalence and earlier onset of psychotropic drug use in all patients with chronic somatic diseases. Received: 13 May 2011 Revised: 3 May 2012 Accepted: 31 May 2012 Acronyms used in text: ATC = anatomical therapeutic chemical; CI = confidence interval; DDD = defined daily dose; GP = general practitioner; NSAID = non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug; OR = odds ratio. PSYCHOTROPIC DRUG USE IN CHRONICALLY ILL PATIENTS 237