TRENDS IN MEDICATION USE BY ELDERLY RESID ENTS OF 2 FRENCH TOWNS, HAGUENAU AND ROMANS

Medications ordered to and used by randomly selected elderly residents of two towns, Haguenau in eastern France and Romans in southeastern F rance, were studied between 1989 and 1993. Aging of the population tra nslated into increasing use of medications, particularly cardiovascula r drugs, The increase was particularly steep for some classes of drugs , such as lipid-lowering agents, There were a few striking differences between the two study sites, which were probably ascribable to differ ences in prescribing patterns. Increases were seen in the use of high- risk combinations and combinations of drugs belonging to similar class es. There was a conspicuous lack of consistency between orders written four years apart, suggesting considerable versatility of prescribing physicians, even in chronic disorders. Results of this study of medica l prescriptions in two comparable cohorts emphasize the arbitrary natu re of some prescribing patterns and the increase in medication and mul tiple medication use with age. They suggest that medical schools and c ontinuing education programs should place increased emphasis on approp riate prescribing.