OBJETIVE: To investigate possible drug interactions to identify the probable adverse events related to the pharmacotherapy of dementia. METHODS: The sample consisted of 48 elderly aged over 60 years, patients with dementia treated in the therapeutic group of multidisciplinary team from the Instituto Paulista de Geriatria e Gerontologia (IPGG). The first step was the description of geriatric pharmacotherapy of patients with dementia. The second was the statistical analysis of data collected based on the package Stata® 9.0, adopting p<0.001; the analysis of drug interactions was based on the use of the Lexi-Interact™ program. RESULTS: Among the patients, there was predominance of female patients (66.7%). In both genders, Alzheimer's disease was the most prevalent diagnosis, and 60% in women and 80% men. It was also found higher adherence in patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's (81.8%). With respect to drugs used, it was found 41 different prescribed drugs. Among them, the most used were the cardiovascular system (30.8%), followed by drugs that act centrally (29.8%). Polypharmacy was observed in 73.3% of patients, more prevalent in female patients (54.5%), living with Alzheimer's dementia (72.7%), moderate (50%). Among drug interactions, those arising form concomitant use of anti-hypertensive drugs (30.5%) stand out, including angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and diuretics (2.2%). CONCLUSION: Drug interaction, as precursor event of medication can result in potentially dangerous effects, as seen in drug interactions mediated in the use of hypotensive drugs, whose event has indirect relationship with the degree of dementia and consequently jeopardizes progress treatment of patients diagnosed as having dementia.
Drug Interactions; Cholinesterase Inhibitors; Drug Utilization; Health of the Elderly
