Abhängigkeitserkrankungen des alternden und alten Menschen

In the last 120 years, the proportion of elderly persons in industrial countries has tripled, and life expectancy has doubled. There is reason to believe that the prevalence of elderly persons suffering from addiction will increase significantly in the next few years. This paper describes current epidemiological knowledge on this topic. Current knowledge of specific aspects of the aging process, of risk factors, and of diagnosis and therapy are presented. Scientific evidence on the treatment of elderly persons who suffer from addiction is limited and mostly based on findings in younger adults. The treatment of elderly persons who suffer from alcohol or prescription drug addiction (benzodiazepines) additionally takes into account the special needs of older people. Recognising and identifying addiction problems in primary care are key factors for providing access to therapy. Much further research is required to answer the open questions about addiction in the elderly.