Drug use evaluation for laxatives and hypnotics
Two new Drug Use Evaluation (DUE) tools have been developed by the National Prescribing Service (NPS) to assist health professionals working in aged care facilities with optimal drug therapy relating to laxative use and hypnotics.
The NPS DUE toolkits provide localised activities to compare current drug use against best practice and guide health professionals in their decision making to achieve the best outcomes for patients.
“Laxatives are one of the most frequently used medicines in long term aged care facilities, up to half of nursing home residents have reported experiencing constipation and 74% are receiving at least one laxative preparation,” NPS Education and Quality Assurance program manager, Judith Mackson said.
