[Analysis of the consumption of drugs in the elderly and its relationship with chronic disease]. / Consumo de fármacos en personas mayores y su relación con la enfermedad crónica.

OBJECTIVES: To determine chronic disease diagnosed at the population and their influence on the use of drugs among noninstitutionalized elderly. METHOD: A cross sectional study using a standardized questionnaire to people over 65 do not institutionalized. RESULTS: The elderly population suffers an average of 1.91 chronic illnesses. The 38.65% had no disease, 40.40% have any, have 12.72% 7.98% two one suffers three or more. Drug use varies by age (higher in older age) and sex (higher in women). The average number of medications taken per day is 2.58 and the most consumed are hypotensive (56.6%), drugs for headache, leg or foot (37.7%), tranquilizers, soothing (36%) diabetes (25.7%), cholesterol (22.9%), and cardiovascular diseases (20.7%). CONCLUSIONS: There is a positive relationship between drugs consumed and chronic diseases that have the elderly.