POTENTIALLY INAPPROPRIATE MEDICATION USE AMONG OLDER HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS IN A BRAZILIAN GENERAL HOSPITAL
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14450/2318-9312.v28.e1.a2016.pp27-32Keywords:
aged, inappropriate prescribing, polypharmacy, hospital, aging, pharmacoepidemiologyAbstract
The objective of this study was to determine the profile of the pharmacotherapy used by hospitalized elderly. A cross-sectional study was conducted in philanthropic general Brazilian hospital. Drug prescriptions for hospitalized elderly patients (age≥60 years), dated from May to September 2010 were the source of data for this study and were retrospectively analyzed (n=1.783). Polypharmacy (use of 5 or more drugs) and potentially inappropriate medications (PIM – according to the Beers Criteria) were identified. Associations between gender, age, admission for cardiovascular disease or hospital stay and polypharmacy or PIM prescription were studied through univariate analysis (Pearson’s Chi-square test). The association between polypharmacy and PIM prescription was also evaluated. During the study period, 204 elderly were hospitalized (average age = 75). The most commonly prescribed drugs acted on the cardiovascular system (29%) and alimentary tract and metabolism (26%). Around 90% of the elderly were submitted to polypharmacy and 59% had at least one prescription of PIM. Hospital stay of five days or more was associated with polypharmacy and PIM prescription. This study allowed the diagnosis of a worrying drug utilization profile with a high number of PIM use and polypharmacy practice. Thus, arises the need to implement strategies to improve geriatric prescription.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish in this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain the copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication, with the work simultaneously licensed under the Licença Creative Commons Attribution which allows the sharing of work with acknowledgment of authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are authorized to take additional contracts separately, for non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work published in this journal (e.g. publish in institutional repository or as a book chapter), with acknowledgment of authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are allowed and encouraged to publish and distribute their work online (e.g. in institutional repositories or on their personal page) at any point before or during the editorial process, as this can generate productive changes as well as increase the impact and Citation of published work (See O Efeito do Acesso Livre ).