Abstract

PAJARIN FERNANDEZ, Lianne; PEACOK ALDANA, Sandra; GRANADOS HORMIGO, Ana E  and  ALVAREZ GONZALEZ, Rosa María. Prescription of antibiotics against urinary tract infections in the elderly. MEDISAN [online]. 2012, vol.16, n.5, pp.717-726. ISSN 1029-3019.

A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in 47 physicians (15 specialists in Comprehensive General Medicine, 2 in Internal Medicine, 1 in Geriatrics and 30 interns), who prescribed antibiotics for the elderly with urinary tract infections in the health area of "Carlos Juan Finlay" Teaching Polyclinic of Santiago de Cuba, from January to June 2010, in order to evaluate these prescriptions. The results of the series showed adequate availability of drugs and access to them, as well as prescriptors enough to offer this service, although most of them had insufficient knowledge of the subject, being more evident in interns and general practitioners. Infections of the upper and lower urinary tract and asymptomatic bacteriuria prevailed, as well as indications of drugs such as quinolones, sulfonamides and beta-lactams. Most prescriptions were inappropriate, mainly because of difficulties in the individualization of treatment, and a high percentage of patients experienced adverse drug reactions, predominantly mild manifestations.

Keywords : elderly; urinary tract infections; asymptomatic bacteriuria; prescription of antibiotics; quinolones; sulfonamides; beta-lactams; primary health care.

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