An integrative review of drug utilization by the elderly in primary health care

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To identify knowledge produced about drug utilization by the elderly in the primary health care context from 2006 to 2014. METHOD An integrative review of the PubMed, LILACS, BDENF, and SCOPUS databases, including qualitative research papers in Portuguese, English, and Spanish. It excluded papers with insufficient information regarding the methodological description. RESULTS Search found 633 papers that, after being subjected to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, made up a corpusof 76 publications, mostly in English and produced in the United States, England, and Brazil. Results were pooled in eight thematic categories showing the current trend of drug use in the elderly, notably the use of psychotropics, polypharmacy, the prevention of adverse events, and adoption of technologies to facilitate drug management by the elderly. Studies point out the risks posed to the elderly as a consequence of changes in metabolism and simultaneous use of several drugs. CONCLUSION There is strong concern about improving communications between professionals and the elderly in order to promote an exchange of information about therapy, and in this way prevent major health complications in this population.

Validation of Nursing Outcomes and Interventions to Older Adults Care with Risk or Frail Elderly Syndrome: Proposal of Linkages Among NOC, NIC, and NANDA‐I to clinical practice

“…It is known that the patients’ knowledge about their health condition predisposes to adherence to treatment and decreases the chance of errors in the use of their medications, and in cases in which the elderly are unable to manage their medication, the reduced medication deficiencies occur when elder's caregivers also understand the importance of adherence to medication (Bezerra, De Brito, & Costa, ; Oliveira & Santos, ; Lingler et al., ). Thus, the Medication Management intervention (2380) was validated by the specialists for the two NDs, which presupposes facilitation of safe and effective use prescription and over‐the‐counter drugs.…”

Medication use by the elderly: analysis of prescribing, dispensing, and use in a medium-sized city in the state of São Paulo

“…The use of more than one drug is also a common practice among this group, and may lead to complications arising from adverse reactions 4 .…”

<b>Perfil medicamentoso de pessoas com hipertensão arterial/ Medication profile of people with hypertension<b>

“…Mais da metade dos entrevistados relatou que não deixa de tomar as medicações prescritas. Este resultado corrobora com estudo de revisão integrativa, que apontou maior aderência justificada pelo maior engajamento dos sujeitos com o autocuidado e apoio dos familiares e profissionais de saúde (17) . Apesar de não ter o objetivo focado na aderência à terapia medicamentosa, este dado aponta maior esforço dos entrevistados em manter o controle pressórico adequado com a correta utilização dos medicamentos prescritos.…”

“…O uso de medicamentos entre idosos é benéfico quando feito de maneira adequada e cuidadosa, com correto manejo e atenção com interações medicamentosas (4) , sem adotar o consumo de medicamentos sobre todas as outras formas de tratar e cuidar, e atribuir a eles o "super poder de cura", moldando os estilos de vida a riscos e desresponsabilizando o indivíduo pela sua saúde (17) .…”