[Potential functional disability in elderly individuals due to self-treatmetnt with analgesics].

The aim of this study was to verify the elderly's status of knowledge concerning analgesics. The study was based on a questionnaire conducted in 90 subjetcs over 65 y.o. (72 females and 18 males) mean age: 70.1 +/- 6.5 years [range: 60-85 years], median: 70). Nearly half of respondents (n = 43 [48%]) modified the dose of analgesic ordered by the physician while 33% of respondents (n = 29) set the drug dose by themselves. Better educated subjects and females were more likely to set the dose using drug leaflet (respectively 14 [23.3%] vs 1 [3.3%], p <0.05, 15 [20.8%] vs 0 [11.1 %], p < 0.05). The most commonly used groups of drugs were paracetamol (n = 24 [51%] and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (n = 49 [54.4%] of which 26 people declared simultaneously consumption of more than one medication within this group of drugs). The study results indicate the urgent need for education concerning self-medication particulary addressed to the elderly.