The use of diuretic medicines by elderly people in residential homes

Data relating to the use of diuretics from a descriptive epidemiological study of drug use in residential homes for elderly people were analysed. Of the 1,888 residents included in the study, 797 (42%) received diuretics. Significantly more females than males received diuretics (ratio of 3.1:1) and recipients were significantly older than non-recipients. They received a total of 894 diuretics of which 413 (46.2%) were loop diuretics, 168 (18.6%) were thiazide diuretics and 278 (31.2%) were potassium-sparing diuretics. The single most frequently used diuretic was frusemide. Diuretics were involved in 209 potential drug-drug interactions which represented 41% of the total number of potential drug-drug interactions. Of these interactions 19 were considered to be potentially highly clinically significant.