Intake of Drugs among Elderly People in a Danish Municipality, Rødovre

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Abstract
Drug intake was studied among a random group of persons, aged 75 or over, in Rodovre municipality. Elderly persons (283) living in their own homes were visited and interviewed about their daily intake of prescribed and nonprescribed drugs (including so-called natural drugs). Similar information was gathered from 146 elderly persons living in nursing homes. Of the elderly living in their own homes, 31% and 3% of those living in nursing homres did not use prescribed drugs daily. The median daily amount of different types of drugs used was 1.8 (range 0-10) for elderly persons living in their own homes and 4.5 (range 0-11) (P < 0.001) for those living in nursing homes. Women living at home had a higher intake of drugs than men, especially diuretics. The most frequently used drugs were diuretics, sedatives/hypnotics, analgesics, digitalis and electrolytes. For all types of drugs a higher consumption, especially of phenothiazines, was found among elderly persons living in nursing homes. Drug consumption was independent of age and social stratification in both groups. The use of non-prescribed drugs ranged from 0-9 different types in the group living in their own homes, and from 0-5 in the group living in nursing homes.sbd.laxatives being the type most frequently used.