Eight-year prescription trends of memantine and cholinesterase inhibitors among persons 65 years and older in Germany.

The objective of this study was to evaluate long-term trends of cholinesterase inhibitors (donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine) and memantine prescriptions in Germany according to sex, age and type of prescribing medical specialist. We used data of the statutory health insurance company Gmünder ErsatzKasse for persons aged 65 years and older over the years 2000-2007. Trends in prescription prevalences were stratified and directly standardized. The standardized prescription prevalence of antidementia drugs in persons aged > or =65 years doubled in the period of 8 years in males (from 0.66% in 2000 to 1.32% in 2007) and in females (from 0.88 to 1.73%). We found significant 2.12-2.48-fold increases for the age group 80 years and above, smaller in the age group 70-79 years (1.57-1.94-fold) and no clear trend for those in the age range 65-69 years. The proportion of memantine prescribed by neurologists and psychiatrists increased from 22.6% in 2000 to 45.8% in 2007. Our study gives first insights into prescribing trends of antidementia drugs in Germany. Further evidence from health services research on dementia care is clearly needed.