Tomàs M T, Centelles F, Valero C, Alcalá A, Cerón A, Soler J, López M
Unidad Docente de Medicina de Familia y Comunitaria del Consorcio Sanitario de Terrassa, Centro de Salud Sant Llàtzer.
Aten Primaria. 1999 Feb 28;23(3):121-6.
To find the chronic prescription of medication in older people, associated variables and its quality.
Observation, descriptive-crossover study.
Urban health district.
Sample stratified in age and sex groups of 385 people of 65 and over registered at the health centre and not in institutions.
Social and demographic data, self-perception of health and functional capacity were obtained through interview; and pathology and medication records, from the clinical records and authorized medication cards. 349 people, average age 73 (SD +/- 6.5), were interviewed. There were 210 women and 139 men. 12% perceived their health as bad/very bad. Barthel's index and the Lawton scale were disturbed in 13.8% and 30.4%, respectively. 93% suffered some chronic pathology (average 2.7). 81.4% habitually took medication (average 3.1). The most commonly consumed drugs belonged to the cardiovascular (32%), nervous system (21%) and digestive apparatus and metabolism (17%) groups. For the first group, the main drugs were ACEIs and diuretics; for the second, analgesics and neuroleptics; for the third, antacid and antiulcer drugs. 86% had high intrinsic value, the most prescribed drugs of those with low intrinsic value belonged to the antivaricose, cerebral and peripheral vasotherapy, and urological drugs groups. Multiple medications was related significantly to having more than two chronic pathologies (OR = 7.89, 95% CI 4.40-14.15) and self-perception of worse health (OR = 2.51, 95% CI 1.13-5.59).
The elderly persons with a greater number of pathologies and perception of worse health took more medication. We thought that our quality of prescription was acceptable, although we should review the indications for neuroleptics and reduce prescription for medication of low therapeutic value.
