Alcohol dependence among elderly French inpatients.

OBJECTIVE/

METHODS

The authors compared groups of heavier and lighter drinkers in a geriatric hospital inpatient unit in France, using questionnaire measures of alcohol dependence, sociodemographic characteristics, and cognitive status.

RESULTS

Alcohol consumption is more frequent in men than in women; 9% of the geriatric patients (3% of women and 18% of men) show symptoms of alcohol dependence. Alcohol dependence is also associated with benzodiazepine treatment and nicotine dependence.

CONCLUSION

Elderly male patients hospitalized in the geriatric unit and receiving benzodiazepines should thus be identified as a population at risk for alcohol dependence, and medical practitioners should be alert to the possibility of overprescribing benzodiazepines past the acute withdrawal stage.