Polypharmacy among the elderly in Hermanos Cruz polyclinic

Abstract

Introduction: polypharmacy is very common today in older adults. Objective: to determine the frequency of polypharmacy and prescription characteristics in older adults from a family doctor and family nurse office. Methods: descriptive and cross-sectional observational study, working with a universe of 190 older adults belonging to the family doctor and family nurse office No. 65 at Hermanos Cruz polyclinic in Pinar del Río municipality and province during 2018. All patients who met the inclusion criteria for this study were interviewed, applying descriptive statistics, and meeting the ethical principles. Results: a predominance of female patients (73,69 %) was found, and the age group from 65 to 69 years (50,52 %). Patients with two or more recurrent diseases (95,79 %) and osteomyoarticular system disorders (87,89 %) predominated. The most consumed pharmacological group was NSAIDs (97,37 %) and vitamins (75,26 %). It was identified the possible occurrence of drug interactions in 187 patients (98,4 %), 78,61 % of them were pharmacokinetic, with predominance of metabolic type (47,06 %). Conclusions: older adults, after the sixth decade of life, and mainly female gender are prone to develop to polypharmacy and self-medication. The existence of several diseases generates the consumption of multiple drugs, and therefore polypharmacy and drug interactions.

Keywords

• polifarmacia
• anciano
• salud del anciano
• atención primaria de salud.