[Inappropriate multiple medication and prescribing of drugs immobile elderly patients living in the community].
OBJECTIVE
To ascertain and analyse the drug consumption of the immobile elderly, as well as the number of potentially inappropriate medications (PIM).


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Fourteen rural primary care centres.


METHODS
Non-institutionalised immobile patients, older than 64 years were selected by systematic sampling.


METHODS
Review of patients' medicine cabinets and noting the daily doses and current number of drugs, as well as the origin of the prescription. Identification of PIM (Beers criteria).


RESULTS
One-hundred forty-three homes visits were made. The mean age was 81.3+/-7.9 years, of whom 74.8% were women. The most common drugs were: analgesics (9.2%), antacids (7.1%), nitrites-calcium antagonists (6.5%), non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (5.0%), and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (4.7%). The percentage of patients who took more than 4 drugs was 76.1%. A PIM was taken by 35% of the elderly. The most common were: long-acting tranquilisers (41.5%), hypnotics (13.8%), digoxin (13.8%), indomethacin (7.7%), and antispasmodics (6.1%). In the majority of cases, the prescribing of the PIM was made by the family doctor (77.7%). Women took significantly more inappropriate drugs than men (0.50+/-0.72 vs to 0.25+/-0.50; P=.001) and those on multiple medication more than those not on multiple medication (0.50+/-0.73 vs 0.31+/-0.52; P=.008).


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of inappropriate therapy in the immobile elderly is high, therefore an effort must be made to reduce it. Procedures directed towards increasing the quality of prescribing could improve the state of health and quality of life of these patients.
Gavilán Moral
Enrique
E
Unidad Docente de MFyC de Córdoba, Nodo COGRAMA RedIAPP, Córdoba, Spain. enrique.gavilan.moral@gmail.com
Morales Suárez-Varela
María Teresa
MT
Hoyos Esteban
José Antonio
JA
Pérez Suanes
Ana María
AM
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000075202:Contraindications; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006792:House Calls; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008511:Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019338:Polypharmacy; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012651:Self Medication / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013030:Spain; D013038:Specialization
D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations