2015, Number 3
Relationship between polypharmacy and number of specialists consulted by elderly patients
Language: English
References: 15
Page: 491-501
PDF size: 227.08 Kb.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: the increase in life expectancy of the world population has risen the prevalence of chronic diseases and polypharmacy has become a common therapeutic practice. This practice is considered to be highly risky for older adults, since it increases the likelihood of drug-related problems. Among other reasons, polypharmacy could be associated with the number of medical specialists the patient consults, as well as the General Practitioner who frequently attends him.Objectives: to determine the average number of drugs used by the population; to establish a quantitative relationship between the average of medical drugs and physicians consulted by the patient over a period of time and to evaluate the population according to the number of chronic diseases they suffer from.
Method: oservational, cross-sectional, prospective analytical study was performed without intervention for three months in community pharmacies located in the urban area with the highest population density of the province of Córdoba, Argentina. Information was derived from planned and structured interviews.
Results: the overall average of drugs used was 4.18. Among patients who did not receive medical care and who consulted four or more doctors to treat their health problems, drug consumption ranged from 1,75 to 8,14. As regards the number of chronic conditions, 49 % of the population has more than one.
Conclusions: dissociated medical care increases the average number of drugs consumed by patients. Pharmacotherapy follow-up is essential as an inclusive process of pharmacotherapy and a practice that may prevent drug-related problems.
REFERENCES
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