[Study of the conpsumption of innapropiate medicaments in elder hospitalized in the Internal Medicine Service].
BACKGROUND
The elderly patients are characterized by the high degree of polymedication. This factor is the most important in the appearance of adverse effects (EAD). The study of the medicaments helps to establish which are inappropriate and therefore they must move back, diminishing of this form EAD's possibility.


METHODS
Prospective and observacional Study. Criterion of incorporation: patients of > 64 years old, hospitalized in an Internal Medicine Service. There were defined as inappropriate medicament the medicines of low therapeutic utility, them not indicated, and the inadequate ones for the elder. By means of the SPSS 11.5 program the possible variables related with the consumption were analyzed.


RESULTS
172 elders were included in the study. The average of medicines for person and day belonged to 5.34 (0-15). 52.5% was consuming an inappropriate medicament (36.6% inadequate for the elder, 15% not indicated, and 12% UTBs). The analysis multivariant associates the consumption of these medicaments with a major number of diseases (p < 0.012), to a major consumption of medicines (p < 0.001) and to the origin of the nursing residences (p < 0.001). Only the consumption of medicaments not adapted for the elder is associated with increase of EAD.


CONCLUSIONS
The half of the elders takes at least a medicament of unnecessary form, and the majority of these medicaments favors appearance of EAD.
Blasco Patiño
F
F
Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital de Torrevieja, Alicante. hevio@msn.com
Pérez Maestu
R
R
Martínez López de Letona
J
J
Jiménez
A I
AI
García Navarro
M J
MJ
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000592:standards; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005260:Female; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009735:Nursing Homes; D019338:Polypharmacy; D011446:Prospective Studies