Survey of remedies held and dispensed in residential homes for the elderly.

From a survey of drug use in 55 residential homes for the elderly it was found that a total of 365 medicines comprising 114 different products were held and dispensed by the homes. Of these 43 (12%) were prescription-only medicines. The most frequently held therapeutic groups were analgesics (23% of all remedies held), laxatives (22%) and antacids (14%). It is recommended that a formulary of remedies held and dispensed in residential homes should be introduced in order to rationalize their use.