Vitamine D et personnes âgées : enquête auprès de 192 médecins généralistes dans les Hautes-Pyrénées

The elderly population in France has continued to increase. Aging and chronic diseases render this population vulnerable. Falls are a risk factor of becoming dependent because of their potentially severe consequences; the cost of care of the consequences is high. Hence, it is important to effectively prevent them. In this paper we will attempt to determine current practices and opinions in the Hautes-Pyrenees that is a department (Midi-Pyrenees region) in southwestern France, in order to analyze compliance with respect to the new recommendations of the Group for Research and Information on Osteoporosis (GRIO). The rules and procedures are based on the recommendations of the GRIO 2011. This evaluation examines the program through a survey of the general practitioners involved in its implementation in the Hautes-Pyrenees. Fifty-nine percent of GPs reported having more than 15% of patients aged over 65. They prescribe a systematic determination of vitamin D in 61% of cases and therapeutic in only 39% of cases. When there is an indication, it is one of the following situations: insufficient sun exposure (25%), repeated falls (22%), established osteoporosis (29%) or in the case of inducing osteoporosis treatment (24%). Supplementation is more often with vitamin D3 (50%) than vitamin D2 (14%), and it is the pattern of spaced doses that is most often applied. It is clear from this survey that in 61% of cases the dosages of vitamin D required by GPs in the Hautes-Pyrenees are not in accordance with the recommendations of the national health authorities.