Comparing Comorbid Profile and the Pattern of Non-Psychiatric Medicine Use Between Elderly and Non-Elderly Patients with Schizophrenia
Objectives: Patients with schizophrenia receive psychiatric medications for many years, and their comorbid profile in old age remains unclear. Moreover, their pattern of non-psychiatric medicine use is of importance. Rehabilitation is crucial in patients with schizophrenia because it improves their...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Negah Institute for Scientific Communication
2020-06-01
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| Series: | Iranian Rehabilitation Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://irj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-1075-en.html |
| _version_ | 1818368695378903040 |
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| author | Arash Mirabzadeh Gita Sadighi Ahmadali Akbari Kamrani Mohammadreza Khodaei Ardakani Golnaz Feyzzadeh Mercedeh Samiei |
| author_facet | Arash Mirabzadeh Gita Sadighi Ahmadali Akbari Kamrani Mohammadreza Khodaei Ardakani Golnaz Feyzzadeh Mercedeh Samiei |
| author_sort | Arash Mirabzadeh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: Patients with schizophrenia receive psychiatric medications for many years, and their comorbid profile in old age remains unclear. Moreover, their pattern of non-psychiatric medicine use is of importance. Rehabilitation is crucial in patients with schizophrenia because it improves their strengths and life skills to live independently. These issues are essential in terms of polypharmacy among them, and its associated adverse effects.
Methods: The present cross-sectional study investigated 131 patients with schizophrenia referring to Razi Hospital who were selected by a convenience sampling method. The subjects’ medical records were evaluated in terms of comorbid disorders and non-psychiatric medicine use patterns. Their demographic data were also collected by a separate questionnaire.
Results: The frequency of schizophrenia disorder was higher in males aged ≥65 years. The comorbidity frequency of non-psychiatric disorders was significantly higher in the elderly, compared to non-elderly patients. The most prevalent comorbid disorders in the elderly were musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and metabolic disorders; and in the non-elderly neurological, hematological, and digestive diseases. The prevalence of non-psychiatric medicine intake was significantly higher in the elderly. The prevalence of non-psychiatric medicine use in the elderly (e.g. aspirin, heart disease medications, hypertension medications, etc.) and non-elderly patients (e.g. anemia medications, antibiotics, anticonvulsants, etc.) was not similar.
Discussion: In schizophrenic patients, the old age period is associated with more comorbid disorders, compared to their healthy counterparts. Such comorbid profile is similar to other patients; e.g. the most prevalent comorbidities were musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and metabolic disorders. Polypharmacy is a medical problem in the elderly, with numerous adverse effects. The adjunct consumption of psychiatric medications with the non-psychiatric ones highlights the vital phenomena of drug interactions and associated adverse effects of polypharmacy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T23:12:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-22b6f90215e44408b9b431ad652a2018 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1735-3602 1735-3610 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T23:12:02Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | Negah Institute for Scientific Communication |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Iranian Rehabilitation Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-22b6f90215e44408b9b431ad652a20182022-12-21T23:28:04ZengNegah Institute for Scientific CommunicationIranian Rehabilitation Journal1735-36021735-36102020-06-01182203210Comparing Comorbid Profile and the Pattern of Non-Psychiatric Medicine Use Between Elderly and Non-Elderly Patients with SchizophreniaArash Mirabzadeh0Gita Sadighi1Ahmadali Akbari Kamrani2Mohammadreza Khodaei Ardakani3Golnaz Feyzzadeh4Mercedeh Samiei5 Social Determinants of Health Research Center, University of Social Welfare and rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Department of Psychiatry, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Social Welfare and rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Department of Clinical Science, Aging Research Center, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Social Welfare and rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Social Determinants of Health Research Center, University of Social Welfare and rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Department of Psychiatry, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Social Welfare and rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Department of Psychiatry, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Social Welfare and rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Objectives: Patients with schizophrenia receive psychiatric medications for many years, and their comorbid profile in old age remains unclear. Moreover, their pattern of non-psychiatric medicine use is of importance. Rehabilitation is crucial in patients with schizophrenia because it improves their strengths and life skills to live independently. These issues are essential in terms of polypharmacy among them, and its associated adverse effects. Methods: The present cross-sectional study investigated 131 patients with schizophrenia referring to Razi Hospital who were selected by a convenience sampling method. The subjects’ medical records were evaluated in terms of comorbid disorders and non-psychiatric medicine use patterns. Their demographic data were also collected by a separate questionnaire. Results: The frequency of schizophrenia disorder was higher in males aged ≥65 years. The comorbidity frequency of non-psychiatric disorders was significantly higher in the elderly, compared to non-elderly patients. The most prevalent comorbid disorders in the elderly were musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and metabolic disorders; and in the non-elderly neurological, hematological, and digestive diseases. The prevalence of non-psychiatric medicine intake was significantly higher in the elderly. The prevalence of non-psychiatric medicine use in the elderly (e.g. aspirin, heart disease medications, hypertension medications, etc.) and non-elderly patients (e.g. anemia medications, antibiotics, anticonvulsants, etc.) was not similar. Discussion: In schizophrenic patients, the old age period is associated with more comorbid disorders, compared to their healthy counterparts. Such comorbid profile is similar to other patients; e.g. the most prevalent comorbidities were musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and metabolic disorders. Polypharmacy is a medical problem in the elderly, with numerous adverse effects. The adjunct consumption of psychiatric medications with the non-psychiatric ones highlights the vital phenomena of drug interactions and associated adverse effects of polypharmacy.http://irj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-1075-en.htmlelderlyschizophreniacomorbid disorderspolypharmacy |
| spellingShingle | Arash Mirabzadeh Gita Sadighi Ahmadali Akbari Kamrani Mohammadreza Khodaei Ardakani Golnaz Feyzzadeh Mercedeh Samiei Comparing Comorbid Profile and the Pattern of Non-Psychiatric Medicine Use Between Elderly and Non-Elderly Patients with Schizophrenia Iranian Rehabilitation Journal elderly schizophrenia comorbid disorders polypharmacy |
| title | Comparing Comorbid Profile and the Pattern of Non-Psychiatric Medicine Use Between Elderly and Non-Elderly Patients with Schizophrenia |
| title_full | Comparing Comorbid Profile and the Pattern of Non-Psychiatric Medicine Use Between Elderly and Non-Elderly Patients with Schizophrenia |
| title_fullStr | Comparing Comorbid Profile and the Pattern of Non-Psychiatric Medicine Use Between Elderly and Non-Elderly Patients with Schizophrenia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparing Comorbid Profile and the Pattern of Non-Psychiatric Medicine Use Between Elderly and Non-Elderly Patients with Schizophrenia |
| title_short | Comparing Comorbid Profile and the Pattern of Non-Psychiatric Medicine Use Between Elderly and Non-Elderly Patients with Schizophrenia |
| title_sort | comparing comorbid profile and the pattern of non psychiatric medicine use between elderly and non elderly patients with schizophrenia |
| topic | elderly schizophrenia comorbid disorders polypharmacy |
| url | http://irj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-1075-en.html |
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