O conhecimento de idosos portadores de doenças crônicas não transmissíveis acerca de seu tratamento polimedicamentoso

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the knowledge of elderly patients with chronic noncommunicable diseases about their treatment. METHODOLOGY: A descriptive exploratory study with a qualitative approach. The study sample was intentional, composed of 14 elderly patients, of both sexes, linked to the Diabetic Adult Nursing (EAD) agenda of the ambulatory of the Clinical Hospital of Porto Alegre. Data collection was carried out between September and December 2017.Results: The analysis resulted in two categories: Knowledge about the disease and pharmacological treatment and Use of medicinal plants. The results showed that: all had three or more noncommunicable diseases, with prevalence for Diabetes Mellitus and Systemic Arterial Hypertension; more than half used eight or more concomitant medications; all used medicinal plants concomitant with drug treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Patients have shown a lay understanding of their illnesses and a poor understanding of drug treatment, which may result in the risk of non-adherence to treatment and increased chances of adverse drug reactions.