Prevalence of drugs causing hyposalivation in an institutionalized geriatric population

The types and numbers of drugs prescribed for nursing home residents were enumerated in order to determine the prevalence of drugs that cause hyposalivation. Drugs were coded as having a definite or probable hyposalivatory side effect, or as having no effect, and were also categorized by therapeutic action. The average number of drugs prescribed for each patient was approximately four. Approximately half of the institutionalized elderly received one or more drugs with a hyposalivatory side effect. The hyposalivatory drugs were mainly antipsychotics, antidepressants, antihistamines, and analgesics.