Abstract

MARTINEZ QUEROL, César; PEREZ MARTINEZ, Víctor T.; CARBALLO PEREZ, Mariola  and  LARRONDO VIERA, Juan J.. Polypharmacy in the older adults. Rev Cubana Med Gen Integr [online]. 2005, vol.21, n.1-2. ISSN 0864-2125.

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 118 senescents from the population of older adults of the family physician office 80.1 of "Ana Betancourt" Polyclinic, in Playa municipality. All of them answered a questionnaire to collect their general data, as well as information about the chronic diseases and disorders of the sense organs they suffered from. The drugs they were taking, both prescribed and self-prescribed, with their doses and periodicity were related, and the adverse reactions attributed to the drugs consumed were also exposed. The classification registries and the individual medical histories were reviewed. The prevelance of polypharmacy detected was of 46 cases (39 %), The total of preparations prescribed was of 303 for an average of 3.1 per patient. The figure of self-prescriptions was of 49 cases (41 %) with 113 drugs and an average of self-prescribed preparations by aged person of 2.3. The drugs prescribed the most by the physicians were the lowering pressure drugs, diuretics, psychotropic drugs, analgesics and antidiabetes drugs. The most self-prescribed drugs were vitamins, analgesics, antihistamines and psychotropic drugs. The adverse reactions were observed in 36 cases (37.2 %). They were mild and attributed to drugs prescribed by the physicians.

Keywords : Elderly; polypharmacy; self-prescription; adverse reactions.

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