Potentially inappropriate medicines for elderly people in the Brazilian Unified Health Sistem (SUS)

Abstract

Introduction: Potentially inappropriate medications (PIM) for elderly people have an unfavorable risk/
benefit ratio and may compromise the health and quality of life of these individuals. The Beers criteria
contribute to greater safety in the use of medicines, helping health professionals in the appropriate selection
of pharmacotherapy, in public and private health systems. Objective: To estimate the frequency of PIM
for elderly people included in the National List of Essential Medicines (RENAME 2022) using the Beers
2023 criteria. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional study, document analysis. The medicines included
in RENAME 2022 were classified according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) system and
grouped into five categories: 1) MPI regardless of the patient’s clinical condition; 2) MPI for elderly people
with certain diseases or syndromes; 3) medicines that should be used with caution by elderly people;
4) potentially inappropriate drug interactions; 5) medications that require dose adjustment based on the
patient’s renal function. A descriptive analysis was carried out with the aid of Microsoft Excel® 2013
software. Results: 465 medications were identified in RE-NAME 2022, of which 16.8% (78) are potentially
inappropriate for elderly people. Conclusion: The Beers criteria should be considered when preparing lists
of essential medicines in the Unified Health System (SUS).