HARCP Archives

Browse by article

Browse by volume

Heroin Addiction and Related Clinical Problems: 2024, 26, 50

Clinical characteristics of Substance Use Disorders elderly patients: a look at a Swiss psychogeriatric inpatient unit

Vincenza Spera, Alireza Moor, Manuel Glauco Carbone, and Icro Maremmani

Digital Object Identifier:
https://doi.org/10.62401/2531-4122-2024-50

Summary: Background: Historically, even if Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is more common in young people, the number of older adults with SUD is growing for many reasons, among which the ageing of the ‘baby boomer’ generation, who reported higher rates of substance abuse than previous ones and due to the higher life expectancy. Regarding cognitive impairment, alcoholism has been associated with direct and indirect neurotoxic effects with chronic structural and functional brain damage. Data regarding the US population showed at least one opioid prescription in 2017, and opioid prescriptions were highest (26.8%) in the older age group (≥65 years). Recent systematic reviews conducted on randomised clinical trials confirmed an excess benzodiazepine prescription among older adults for what scientific evidence suggests is appropriate. Our research group is studying the consequences of substance use in the degenerative processes of the elderly, wondering if the use of substances accelerates the processes of neurodegeneration and aggravates their clinical condition. Methods. This is an observational, non-interventional study based on a single evaluation of older adults (age ≥ 65 years) admitted in 2022 to the Psychogeriatric Unit of the Cantonal Psychiatric Clinic of Mendrisio (Switzerland). All the data were extracted retrospectively from electronic medical records, including routine clinical data. 59 patients were using substances, whereas 212 were not. Results. SUD subjects were predominantly males and younger, with higher hospitalisation rates in a voluntary regimen. Conclusions. Substance users are younger when they require hospitalisation for geriatric problems, in which neurodegeneration is prevalent. This fact pushes us to continue our research in the field.

Keywords: Clinical characteristics; Psychogeriatric setting; Substance Use Disorder; Neurodegenerative processes