Estudio de pacientes polimedicados mayores de 65 años en un centro de asistencia primaria urbano / Study of polymedicated patients over 65 years-old in an urban primary care centre

Objetivo. Identificar y tipificar a la población mayor de 65 años polimedicada y determinar los medicamentos y las enfermedades más prevalentes en este subgrupo de población. Diseño. Estudio descriptivo transversal. Emplazamiento. Centro de Salud Zaidín-Centro de Granada. Atención Primaria de Salud. Sistema Sanitario Público de Andalucía (SSPA). Participantes. Trescientos cinco pacientes mayores de 65 años y polimedicados (que utilizan cinco o más medicamentos, durante un periodo ≥ 6 meses, por cualquier vía), elegidos por muestreo estratificado por sexo, edad y número de medicamentos. Mediciones principales. Las variables recogidas y analizadas fueron el sexo, la edad, el número de enfermedades, el número de medicamentos y el profesional médico. Resultados. La prevalencia de polimedicados en mayores de 65 años fue de 33,77%. Estos pacientes utilizaban un número medio de medicamentos de 8,7±2,5 y presentaban un número medio de enfermedades de 5,56±1,89. La prevalencia de polimedicación fue mayor en las mujeres, pero las diferencias disminuyen en mayores de 85 años. El grupo terapéutico más utilizado fue el de antihipertensivos, en concordancia con la enfermedad más frecuente, la hipertensión arterial. Se comprueba la existencia de una fuerte relación entre el número de medicamentos y el número de enfermedades (p=0,05). Conclusiones. El consumo crónico de medicamentos en las personas mayores es de considerable magnitud y afecta a uno de cada tres mayores. La polimedicación de los mayores es un problema frecuente y grave que precisa revisión y evaluación continuas(AU)

Objective. To identify and characterise the polymedicated population over 65 years-old; and to determine the prevalence of drugs and the diseases in this population subgroup. Design. Cross-sectional study. Setting. A primary care centre Zaidín-Centro in Granada. Andalusian Public Health Service. Participants. A total of 305 patients over 65 years-old taking polypharmacy (defined as use of five or more drugs, during a period equal to or greater than six months by any route) selected by stratified sampling by sex, age and number of drugs consumed. Principal measurements. The analysed variables were sex, age, number of diseases, number of drugs and medical doctor. Results. The prevalence of polypharmacy in patients over 65 years-old was 33.77%. These patients were using an average number of drugs of 8.7±2.5 and had an average number of diseases of 5.56±1.89. The prevalence of polypharmacy was greater among women, but differences decreased in people more than 85 years old. The antihypertensive pharmacological group was the most commonly used, in accordance with the most frequent disease, arterial hypertension. We found a strong relationship between the number of drugs and the number of diseases (p=0.05). Conclusions. Chronic use of drugs in the elderly is of considerable magnitude, affecting one out of every three. Polypharmacy in the elderly is a common and serious problem that needs to be reviewed and evaluated continuously(AU)

[Study of polymedicated patients over 65 years-old in an urban primary care centre]. / Estudio de pacientes polimedicados mayores de 65 años en un centro de asistencia primaria urbano.

OBJECTIVE: To identify and characterise the polymedicated population over 65 years-old; and to determine the prevalence of drugs and the diseases in this population subgroup. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: A primary care centre Zaidín-Centro in Granada. Andalusian Public Health Service. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 305 patients over 65 years-old taking polypharmacy (defined as use of five or more drugs, during a period equal to or greater than six months by any route) selected by stratified sampling by sex, age and number of drugs consumed. PRINCIPAL MEASUREMENTS: The analysed variables were sex, age, number of diseases, number of drugs and medical doctor. RESULTS: The prevalence of polypharmacy in patients over 65 years-old was 33.77%. These patients were using an average number of drugs of 8.7±2.5 and had an average number of diseases of 5.56±1.89. The prevalence of polypharmacy was greater among women, but differences decreased in people more than 85 years old. The antihypertensive pharmacological group was the most commonly used, in accordance with the most frequent disease, arterial hypertension. We found a strong relationship between the number of drugs and the number of diseases (p=0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Chronic use of drugs in the elderly is of considerable magnitude, affecting one out of every three. Polypharmacy in the elderly is a common and serious problem that needs to be reviewed and evaluated continuously.

[Urinary incontinence in adult women: a descriptive study of a rural population]. / Incontinencia urinaria en mujeres en edad adulta: estudio descriptivo en una población rural.

OBJECTIVES: To find the quantitative and qualitative features of urinary incontinence (UI) in an out-patient feminine population in our Health District. DESIGN: Crossover and observational study. PARTICIPANTS: Women between 20 and 65 years old who attended a PC on-demand clinic. INTERVENTION: A questionnaire and a clinical history. RESULTS: Eight PC doctors polled 502 female patients. 40.6% said they had urinary incontinence, the majority (70.3%) of these had stress incontinence. The starting age was between 30 and 51 in 60% of cases. 37.5% of the patients with UI said it had moderate or serious psycho-social repercussions, although only 11.4% had consulted the doctor. CONCLUSIONS: There is a broad range of difference on the prevalence of UI in the literature, which on the whole tends to minimise the problem, due to the diagnostic criteria and methods used. UI is an extremely serious health problem for women, with important repercussions on their quality of life, in spite of which patients do not seek medical help. We health-workers should make an effort to tackle this problem in this broad population-group.