Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: Even nowadays, the use of sleep medicines is widespread, despite extensive evidence of their adverse effects, particularly among older adults. This study aims to examine the prevalence of sleep medicines use across different age groups and to assess the frequency of multiple prescriptions issued to individual patients using Finnish nationwide data.
METHODS: Data on all sleep medicine prescriptions recorded in centralized national Prescription Centre was retrieved for 1 January 2023-31 December 2024. Sleep medicines were selected based on the most recent Finnish national care guideline of insomnia. Our dataset covers all sleep medicines used in outpatient care by individuals aged 18-99. Descriptive analyses were conducted using R.
RESULTS: Altogether 2,536,693 sleep medicine prescriptions were prescribed for 803,237 patients. Among individuals aged 18 years or older, the prevalence of sleep medicine use was 38%, with higher use among women than men (21% vs. 14%). The most common sleep medicines were melatonin, mirtazapine, and zopiclone. 32% of all prescriptions were prescribed from private sector. The proportion of individuals using sleep medicines ranged from 20% to 40% among those aged 25 to 70 years, after which a marked increase was observed. Among individuals over the age of 80, more than 50% were using sleep medicines. From age 20 onward, 35% of users used at least two different sleep medicines, while 11% used three or more. Melatonin and mirtazapine comprised the most common two-drug combination, with quetiapine added for the most common three-drug combination.
CONCLUSIONS: Sleep medication use is highly prevalent, especially among older adults. Special attention should be paid when multiple sleep medications are used concurrently, as this increases the risk of adverse outcomes such as cognitive decline, falls, and drug interactions. These may lead to increased healthcare use and costs, including emergency visits and hospitalizations.