EVALUATION OF DRUG-RELATED PROBLEMS IN POLYMEDICATED PATIENTS

Abstract

Although the objective is to improve the quality of life, polymedication is directly associated with the increased likelihood that the patient will develop  drug-related problems (DRP), thus compromising the treatment’s  effectiveness, besides generating risks for the treatment and health. Thus,  the present study performed pharmacotherapeutic follow-up in  polymedicated patients from a community pharmacy service. The present  study aimed to carry out pharmacotherapeutic follow-up in polymedicated  patients using a community pharmacy service through a prospective and  quantitative study in a pharmacy school at Campo Mourão, PR, Brazil.  Twenty-six patients with chronic diseases and being treated with five or  more medications were included in the study. The pharmacotherapeutic  follow-up was performed based on the methodology proposed by the Dáder  method. Drugdex®, Dynamed, and ANVISA’s electronic files were used to  evaluate the therapy. DRP were classified according to Rovers and Currie,  and the Beers criteria were used to identify inappropriate drugs for the  elderly. Most patients were elderly (80.8%), with three or more diseases and on average use of eight medications. 108 DRP (mean: 4.9 DRP/patient) were observed, which resulted in 76 proposals for pharmaceutical interventions to patients. Among the identified DRP, those related to safety (40.7%),  effectiveness (35.2%), and adverse reactions (27.8%) were highlighted. Among the factors that can be pointed out as predisposing to  the high incidence of PRM, polymedication, advanced age and the presence of chronic diseases stand out.