Medicine use and supplementation practice among participants of SENECA Study

To assess six-year changes in medicine use and supplementation practice of elderly Europeans.

Longitudinal assessment including two rounds of the SENECA STUDY: 1993 (first follow-up) and 1999 (final follow-up). Random sample of elderly born between 1913-1918, 284 men and 337 women in 1999. Data were collected in 10 small towns in 9 European countries by personal interview using standardized questionnaire.

In the six-year period the percentage of subjects taking medicines increased significantly (81.3 vs. 87.6%), while supplement usage did not change (23.2 vs. 23.5%). In 1999 a greater percentage of participants took in long-term order (>or= 2 years) antihypertensive drugs (33% vs. 21%), diuretics (18% vs.12%), anticoagulants (17% vs. 5%)and nitroglycerine (13% vs. 6%). In 1999 the supplements more frequently taken were calcium (12% of all the subjects, 7% of men and 17% of women), vitamin D (10% of all the subjects, 6% of men and 14% of women) and ascorbic acid (10% of all the subjects, 8% of men and 13% of women). In the finale survey calcium supplements were taken by more respondents than in 1993 (12% vs. 8%). Medicine and food supplement use was more frequent by women than by man in both 1993 and 1999.

The higher prevalence of using medicines with cardiovascular effects suggests an increase of cardiovascular problems with age. The higher frequency of calcium and vitamin D usage among women suggests that these nutrients are taken for preventing senile osteoporotic fractures.