Prevalence of drug use in institutionalized elderly people: A descriptive study

Abstract

Objective: To describe the prevalence of drugs prescribed among the elderly in a long-stay institution for seniors - ILPIs. Methodology: This is a descriptive study of a quantitative character conducted in an ILPIs the city of Maringa, Paraná, Brazil. Data were collected between November 2008 and October 2009 through 78 clinical records. For analysis of the data related to medications we used the classification of drugs in a therapeutic subgroup according to the classification Anatomical-Therapeutic-Clinic (ATC). Results: Totaled 466 to prescription drugs, with an average of 5.97 drugs per elderly, highlighting the drugs for the nervous system which represented 36.48% of all prescriptions, followed by cardiovascular device (23.17%), digestive and metabolic (22.94%). The most frequently prescribed therapeutic subgroup was Psycholeptics considering that the drug haloperidol being the main medicine prescribed in the institution. Conclusion: It is necessary interventions aimed at reducing drugs, contributing to the improvement of quality of life of institutionalized elderly.