Prevalence of the use of potentially inappropriate medicines for elderly people with high blood pressure in Diamantina (MG) and associated factorsBackground: Despite the benefits of pharmacotherapy, the practice of polypharmacy among the elderly increases the likelihood of negative health outcomes, specially due to the higher risk of exposure to potentially inappropriate medicine (PIM).
Objective: Identify the prevalence of the use of PIMs by elderly people with high blood pressure assisted by the Family Health Strategy of Diamantina (MG) and analyze its associated factors.
Method: Retrospective cross-sectional study involving data on 325 elderly people with high blood pressure, collected through in-person interviews from November 2018 to December 2019. The χ2 and t tests were applied to the categorical co-variables and the t test to continuous co-variables, respectively. A multiple binary logistic regression was used to test for the conditional effect of covariates on the probability of the use of PMIs. Latent cluster analysis with active covariates then allowed the identification of multivariate profiles according to the use of PMIs.
Results: The prevalence of PMI was 78.5%. This use was significantly higher among those practicing polypharmacy (47.4%) and among women (62.5%). The most frequently used PMIs were Hydrochlorothiazide, Omeprazole, Furosemide, and Glibenclamide.
Conclusion: The population under study are highly susceptible to PMIs, reinforcing the need of a comprehensive program on pharmaceutical care to minimize the chance of PMI use.
Keywords:
elderly; arterial hypertension; potentially inappropriate medications; pharmacotherapy; family health strategy