[The effect of admission to a geriatric department of a general hospital on drug consumption of the elderly].

Admission to a geriatric department of a general hospital of 100 elderly patients admitted in succession, resulted in a slight decrease in number of the prescribed medication. The data were gathered retrospectively. Cardiovascular drugs accounted for the main decrease, sedatives and laxatives showed the highest increase. The use of diuretics is significantly associated with dehydration; 43% of the users of diuretics were dehydrated. The most striking conclusion was that 25% of the prescriptions could be stopped for lack of indication.