[Characterizing the prescription of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs among the elderly].
OBJECTIVE
Determine prescription characteristics of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs among the elderly attending primary medical care.


METHODS
Setting, Family Health Unit 52, Mexican Institute of Social Security.


METHODS
Prospective, cross-sectional, descriptive, with randomized sampling.


METHODS
400 patients; aged 60 and older, male and female, without cognitive impairment. Those without clinical records were excluded. Every patient was interviewed and examined and their clinical record and prescription were assesed.


RESULTS
NSAIDs were prescribed in 312 patients (78% 95% CI 74-82), one type of NSAIDs was prescribed in 188 (60% 95% CI 55-65), two types in 117 (38% 95% CI 33-43) and three types in 7 (2% 95% CI 0.0-4). Of the 443 prescriptions, Acetylsalicylic acid was prescribed in 200 cases (45% 95% CI 40-50) and Naproxen in 100 (23% IC 95% 19-26). Reasons for prescribing included cardiovascularprophylaxis in 46% (IC 95% 7-13)pain management in 40% (95% CI 31-49), anti-inflammatory cases 4% (95% CI 2-6), and non-specified in 10% of cases (95% CI 7-13). Treatment duration was not specified for 253 patients (81% 95% CI 77-85). We noted drug-drug interaction in 228 cases (73% 95% CI 67-77) and a potential drug-disease interaction in 247 (79% 95% CI 77-81). The gastro-esophageal prescription was not more frequent among patients taking NSAIDs compared with non-users OR = 1 (95% CI 0.53-1.75; p = 0.89).


CONCLUSIONS
NSAIDs prescription prevalence is high: although diagnoses do not justify their use and gastro-esophageal protection is often not sufficient. Prostaglandins inhibitors are favored without taking into account drug-disease interaction.
Lagunes-Espinosa
Alma Luisa
AL
Unidad de Medicina Familiar, IMSS, Estado de México, México. al5897122@prodigy.net.mx
Peralta-Pedrero
Maria Luisa
ML
Rodríguez-Moctezuma
Raymundo
R
López-Carmona
Juan Manuel
JM
Ibarra-Vicens
Emilia
E
Cruz-Avelar
Agles
A
Murguía-Miranda
Catarina
C
D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal