title: [Drug consumption by people over 60 years of age in a rural area].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the frequency and distribution of the consumption of medicines in a census-based sample of people of 60 or over. To determine the association between the consumption of medicines and other socio-demographic and clinical (presence of disease) variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  An epidemiological crossover study based in the community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rural population: the Health District of Arévalo in Castilla y León.
  
  
  METHODS
  825 subjects (446 women and 379 men) over 60, with an average age of 71,84.
  
  
  METHODS
  A standard questionnaire was used, containing medicine consumption, prescription, and clinical and demographic features.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The consumption of medicines per person per day was 1,92. Therapeutic groups most consumed were, in this order, hypotension drugs, cardiotonics, antirheumatics, peripheral vasodilators, digestive system drugs, neurotropics and analgesics. The number of illnesses suffered by this age-group was 2,19. There is a strong connection between consumption of medicines and age, especially in the over 80's.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  75% of the target population took some medicine each day. Consumption is higher among women than men. Cardiovascular drugs are the most frequently used therapeutic group. Consumption of medicines is directly related to age and the number of illnesses.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Salud de Arévalo, Avila, Madrid.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vega Quiroga
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: López Gay
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bermejo Pareja
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: de la Rosa Gil
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Bustos Tabernero
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Sampedro López
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fraile Jimeno
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Durán Parra
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moreno Sobrino
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gabriel Sánchez
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012424:Rural Population; D012737:Sex Factors; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
vernacular_title: Consumo de fármacos en población mayor de 60 años en una zona rural.