title: [Analysis of repeat prescriptions in chronic treatments at a health center].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the social-health profile of the population attending for the renewal of prescriptions for long-term treatments; to quantify the possible pharmacological interactions; to measure cognitive function in a sample of this population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Crossover study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Urban Health Centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  All the patients (359) who were seen during a one month period at any of the centre's nursing stations for the renewal of long-term treatment prescriptions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the social-health data of every patient were collected on a form. Cognitive function was assessed in one of every three cases by means of Folstein's Minimental test. Average age was 64 +/- 0.76; 37% were men and 63% women. The mean number of chronic diagnoses per patient was 3.2 +/- 0.08 and of medicines per patient 2.9 +/- 0.09. 15% medicated themselves. Pharmacological interactions were possible in 41% of the patients who took more than one medicine. 8% were illiterate and 16% only knew how to read or write. 24.54% displayed overall cognitive deterioration and 48%, lapses in memory.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients seen at our Centre for renewal of prescriptions were an elderly population group, with pluripathology, taking several medicines, with a low cultural level and deterioration in their cognitive functions. The risk of pharmacological interactions is very high. Repeat prescriptions for long-term treatments should not just be an administrative function: it should be performed by trained health staff.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Salud La Chopera, Alcobendas, Madrid.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Castillo Alonso
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: García Olmos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barrios Encinas
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: de Pablos Arribas
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Villar Herguedas
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de la Cuesta Benjumea
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003151:Community Health Centers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
vernacular_title: Análisis de la prescripción repetida para tratamientos crónicos en un centro de salud.