Utilization of Cardiovascular Drugs in the Aged in a Long-Term-Care Institution for the Aged over a 5-Year Period 1987--1992.

A comparative study was made of the utilization of cardiovascular drugs in a long-term-care facility for the aged for 1987 and 1992 during which the age and sex distributions and incidence of usage were similar. There were statistically significant declines in the usage of diuretics and potassium supplementation, digoxin, antihypertensives, antiarrhythmics, and beta blockers and a rise in the use of calcium-channel blockers. There was a slight fall in the use of antianginal drugs. The ACE inhibitors introduced after 1987 were taken by 6.1%. The dosages of digoxin and diuretics decreased as management was adequate and toxicity avoided and usage of digoxin reduced in accordance with the concept that digoxin is useful in failure only when left ventricular output is impaired.