[Use of systemic antibiotics in a Norwegian nursing home].
BACKGROUND
The population in the industrialised world is ageing; this brings an increase in the nursing home population.


METHODS
In a 175-bed Norwegian nursing home a retrospective analysis was done by a manual search of all patient records for the year 1998, to establish the use of all systemic antibiotics that year.


RESULTS
Out of 223 residents, 111 (50%) received 239 antibiotic treatments during the year. An average of 4.5% of the residents received antibiotics at any one time. Urinary tract infections accounted for 50% of antibiotics use followed by lower respiratory tract infections (27%) and skin and soft-tissue infections (11%). Trimethoprim and penicillin V accounted for 56% of the antibiotics used.


CONCLUSIONS
The choice of antibiotics was by and large in accordance with national guidelines for use of antibiotics in primary care. There is a need for further studies in order to develop consensus criteria for rational use of antibiotics in nursing homes.
Tobiassen
Tore
T
Torshov helsesenter Chr. Michelsens gate 65 0474 Oslo. toreto@online.no
Berild
Dag
D
Hjortdahl
Per
P
D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009664:Norway; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents