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INTERPRETATION : Major changes in drug use take place after admission to a nursing home. This especially applies to the use of psychotropics and diuretics which may precipitate the use of laxatives, while the increased use of analgesics and oestrogens may reveal under-treatment prior to admission. The drug use tends to be chronic. RESULTS : The median age of the residents was 87, the most frequent diagnoses were dementia (36%) and cardiovascular diseases (26%). There was a significant correlation between the number of drugs used and number of diagnoses (r = 0.35, p < 0.01). Drugs from ATC groups A and N were most commonly used. For all drugs except oestrogens there was a significant correlation between duration of stay and duration of treatment. Approximately three fourths of the residents taking cardiovascular drugs were treated at admittance. Two thirds or more of the use of laxatives, oestrogens, analgesics, psychotropic drugs and antihistamines were instituted during the nursing home stay. Antidepressants were prescribed relatively early after admittance, antipsychotics and anxiolytics later during the stay. MATERIAL AND METHODS : The duration of the drug use of 117 permanently admitted nursing home residents was studied retrospectively in five small nursing homes. All presently used drugs were registered with information on whether they were prescribed at or after admission. The drugs were recorded according to the ATC system. BACKGROUND : This article deals with duration of and changes in drug treatment of nursing home residents.

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