Author:

• Dayani Galato - GALATO, D - Tubarão, SC - Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina - <dayani.galato@unisul.br>

Thematic Area:

Não Categorizado

Abstract:

The objective was to evaluate the use of medicines in the elderly people that live in a city in the south of Santa Catarina state. It was carried out a transverse study. 104 patients were interviewed, they were distributed in five Family Health Program covering area. 68.3% of the interviewed people were women, 78.8% were aged between 60 and 79 years old and most of them with low schooling. The number of medicines in use was 3.5 (DP=2.58) per elderly and the number of daily rate doses were 5.4 (DP=4.78) and 64.4% of the elderly people reported to have used the health services two times or more last year. It was observed that 51.9% of elderly were classified as smaller polymedication and 28.8% as larger polymedication .The classes of medicine that more contributed to the polymedication were the classes that act in the cardiovascular and nervous system, eating treatment and metabolism, being mainly used for hypertension, heart and circulatory problems, diabetes, insomnia and depression. It was verified that 16.5% of the elderly people present risk of having drug-related problems. It was identified the association between the polymedication and the gender, schooling and the frequency they look for the health services. It was noticed that in this population the polymedication may be related to the elderly people’s profile.
Key words: elderly, polymedication, aging

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