Table 4.
Prevalence of alcohol-interactive (AI) prescription medication use by drinking status (non-drinker, current drinker) and therapeutic medication class, adults aged 65 years and older, United States, 1999–20101
| Medication class | Total (n=7,183) | Non-drinker (n=3,713)2 | Current drinker (n=3,347)2 | P | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| ||||||||||
| N | % | 95% CI | N | % | 95% CI | N | % | 95% CI | ||
| Cardiovascular agents | 4543 | 63.3 | (61.7–64.9) | 2461 | 65.6 | (63.4–67.8) | 2012 | 61.3 | (58.9–63.7) | 0.01 |
| Angiotensin converting enzyme | 1449 | 19.6 | (18.4–20.9) | 792 | 20.9 | (19.1–22.7) | 636 | 18.4 | (16.6–20.3) | 0.07 |
| Angiotensin II inhibitor | 616 | 8.6 | (7.8–9.4) | 351 | 9.3 | (8.1–10.8) | 261 | 8.1 | (7.0–9.4) | 0.21 |
| Antiadrenergic | 650 | 8.3 | (7.5–9.0) | 331 | 9.2 | (8.1–10.5) | 308 | 7.5 | (6.5–8.7) | 0.06 |
| Antiarrhythmic | 627 | 9.4 | (8.4–10.3) | 361 | 10.4 | (9.1–11.7) | 252 | 8.2 | (7.0–9.7) | 0.03 |
| Beta-adrenergic blocking | 1602 | 23.1 | (21.4–24.8) | 842 | 23.8 | (21.5–26.3) | 743 | 22.8 | (20.9–25.0) | 0.50 |
| Calcium channel blocking | 843 | 10.7 | (9.9–11.6) | 497 | 11.9 | (10.8–13.1) | 334 | 9.7 | (8.4–11.1) | 0.03 |
| Diuretics | 1460 | 20.6 | (19.3–21.8) | 827 | 22.7 | (20.9–24.6) | 611 | 18.5 | (16.9–20.3) | 0.002 |
| Central nervous system agents | 1815 | 26.1 | (24.8–27.4) | 1063 | 29.6 | (27.4–32.0) | 720 | 22.4 | (20.7–24.3) | <.0001 |
| Anticonvulsant | 386 | 5.7 | (5.0–6.3) | 251 | 7.6 | (6.5–8.9) | 130 | 3.9 | (3.2–4.8) | <.0001 |
| Anxiolytic/sedative/hypnotic | 357 | 5.6 | (4.8–6.4) | 208 | 6.4 | (5.2–8.0) | 143 | 4.6 | (3.9–5.5) | 0.01 |
| Muscle relaxant | 98 | 1.4 | (1.1–1.7) | 56 | 1.6 | (1.2–2.1) | 40 | 1.1 | (0.8–1.6) | 0.11 |
| Narcotic | 383 | 5.6 | (4.9–6.3) | 243 | 7.4 | (6.1–8.8) | 131 | 3.7 | (3.0–4.4) | <.0001 |
| Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory | 374 | 5.1 | (4.5–5.7) | 206 | 5.3 | (4.4–6.4) | 161 | 4.8 | (3.8–6.0) | 0.53 |
| Coagulation modifiers | 468 | 6.8 | (6.1–7.5) | 258 | 7.8 | (6.7–9.0) | 206 | 6.0 | (5.1–7.2) | 0.03 |
| Anticoagulant | 440 | 6.4 | (5.8–7.1) | 242 | 7.2 | (6.3–8.2) | 194 | 5.8 | (4.9–6.8) | 0.05 |
| Gastrointestinal agents | 369 | 5.5 | (4.8–6.2) | 203 | 6.2 | (5.2–7.3) | 160 | 4.7 | (4.0–5.6) | 0.03 |
| H2 antagonist | 298 | 4.2 | (3.6–4.9) | 162 | 4.7 | (3.9–5.7) | 132 | 3.7 | (3.0–4.5) | 0.05 |
| Metabolic agents | 2818 | 38.8 | (37.4–40.3) | 1570 | 41.6 | (39.3–43.8) | 1214 | 36.5 | (34.6–38.4) | 0.0007 |
| Antidiabetic | 1243 | 14.9 | (13.9–15.9) | 813 | 18.4 | (16.8–20.1) | 411 | 11.3 | (10.1–12.6) | <.0001 |
| Antihyperlipidemic | 2163 | 31.3 | (30.0–32.5) | 1139 | 32.4 | (30.3–34.5) | 1006 | 30.6 | (28.9–32.4) | 0.22 |
| Psychotherapeutic agents | 683 | 10.8 | (9.8–11.7) | 391 | 12.1 | (10.8–13.7) | 283 | 9.6 | (8.4–10.9) | 0.01 |
| Antidepressant | 643 | 10.2 | (9.3–11.1) | 362 | 11.4 | (10.0–12.9) | 273 | 9.2 | (8.0–10.5) | 0.02 |
| Antipsychotic | 65 | 0.9 | (0.6–1.2) | 50 | 1.4 | (0.9–2.0)3 | 14 | 0.5 | (—)3 | 0.01 |
| Respiratory agents | 319 | 4.9 | (4.2–5.5) | 163 | 5.2 | (4.3–6.2) | 152 | 4.6 | (3.8–5.5) | 0.34 |
| Antihistamines | 237 | 3.7 | (3.1–4.3) | 111 | 3.7 | (3.0–4.7) | 125 | 3.8 | (3.1–4.6) | 0.93 |
| All other medications | 448 | 6.8 | (6.1–7.6) | 217 | 6.4 | (5.4–7.6) | 228 | 7.4 | (6.3–8.6) | 0.22 |
| Total, all therapeutic classes | 5554 | 78.6 | (77.3–79.9) | 2941 | 79.7 | (77.7–81.6) | 2524 | 77.8 | (75.7–79.7) | 0.20 |
1
Data source: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2010. Sample size (N) is unweighted for individuals who used the AI medication in the class; percentage estimates are weighted.
2
Percentage is adjusted for age, sex, race-ethnicity, education, marital status and smoking using logistic regression. N may not add to full sample due to missing data on covariates.
3
Relative standard error (RSE) of 20%–30%, or 95% CI not shown if RSE>30%.