Potentially inappropriate medication in the elderly: a systematic review of validated explicit criteria.

PURPOSE: Potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use causes preventable adverse drug reactions in older patients. Several assessment tools have been published to identify and avoid PIM use. In this systematic literature review, we aim to provide summaries and comparisons of validated PIMs lists published between 1991 and 2017 internationally. METHODS: In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Statement (PRISMA), we performed a systematic review of articles describing the development and validation of criteria for identification of PIMs among older people published between January 1991 and April 2017. The searches were conducted on PUBMED, AgeLine, Academic Search, Academic Search Premier, and CINAHL. We identified the most common medications/classes described as PIM. We also identified the drug-disease interactions and drug-drug interactions reported among criteria. RESULTS: From 2933 articles screened, 36 met our inclusion criteria. The majority used the Delphi method to validate their criteria. We identified 907 different medications/classes, 536 different drug disease interactions involving 84 diseases/conditions, and 159 drug-drug interactions. Benzodiazepines and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were the medications most commonly reported as potentially inappropriate for older people. CONCLUSION: Although approaches aimed at detecting inappropriate prescribing have intensified in recent years, we observed limited overlap between different PIM lists. Additionally, some PIM lists did not provide special considerations of use and alternative therapies to avoid PIMs. These facts may compromise the use of PIM lists in clinical practice. Future PIM lists should integrate information about alternative therapies and special considerations of use in order to help clinicians in the drug prescription.

Regular access and adherence to medications of the specialized component of pharmaceutical services.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of the adherence to the medications of the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services and its association with regular access in users of these medications in the municipality of São Leopoldo, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study with adults aged 20 years and over, who are users of medications of the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services. Sampling was carried out consecutively for users who accessed the service of the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services during the period from December 2014 to March 2015. Adherence was measured by the Brief Medication Questionnaire, and adherents were defined as those who did not present barriers to adherence in the three domains. Regular access was defined as getting all medications in the last three months, regardless of how it was obtained (paying or for free). Data analysis was performed using Poisson regression with robust variance. RESULTS: We interviewed 414 subjects, being them mostly women (60.9%), with mean age of 55 years (SD = 13), and using a single medication of the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services (68.1%). The prevalence of adherence to the medications used in the last seven days was 28.3% and the prevalence of free regular access was 46.1%, and 25.7% did not have access to all treatment. After adjusting for the number of medications in the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services and the number of medications of continuous use, users who had free regular access in the last three months were 60% more likely to show adherence. For individuals with paid regular access, no association was found between access and adherence. CONCLUSIONS: The regularity in the free access to the medications of the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services has an impact on the behavior of users, contributing to their commitment to treatment and self-care. The Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services needs programming in order to avoid irregular access, which suggests a significant limitation of the drug policies in Brazil.

Regular access and adherence to medications of the specialized component of pharmaceutical services / Acesso regular e adesão a medicamentos do componente especializado da assistência farmacêutica

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To investigate the prevalence of the adherence to the medications of the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services and its association with regular access in users of these medications in the municipality of São Leopoldo, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. METHODS This is a cross-sectional study with adults aged 20 years and over, who are users of medications of the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services. Sampling was carried out consecutively for users who accessed the service of the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services during the period from December 2014 to March 2015. Adherence was measured by the Brief Medication Questionnaire, and adherents were defined as those who did not present barriers to adherence in the three domains. Regular access was defined as getting all medications in the last three months, regardless of how it was obtained (paying or for free). Data analysis was performed using Poisson regression with robust variance. RESULTS We interviewed 414 subjects, being them mostly women (60.9%), with mean age of 55 years (SD = 13), and using a single medication of the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services (68.1%). The prevalence of adherence to the medications used in the last seven days was 28.3% and the prevalence of free regular access was 46.1%, and 25.7% did not have access to all treatment. After adjusting for the number of medications in the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services and the number of medications of continuous use, users who had free regular access in the last three months were 60% more likely to show adherence. For individuals with paid regular access, no association was found between access and adherence. CONCLUSIONS The regularity in the free access to the medications of the Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services has an impact on the behavior of users, contributing to their commitment to treatment and self-care. The Specialized Component of Pharmaceutical Services needs programming in order to avoid irregular access, which suggests a significant limitation of the drug policies in Brazil.

RESUMO OBJETIVO Investigar a prevalência de adesão a medicamentos do Componente Especializado da Assistência Farmacêutica e sua associação com o acesso regular em usuários desses medicamentos no município de São Leopoldo, RS. MÉTODOS Estudo transversal com adultos de 20 anos ou mais, usuários de medicamentos do Componente Especializado da Assistência Farmacêutica no município de São Leopoldo, RS. A amostragem foi realizada de forma consecutiva de usuários que acessaram o atendimento do Componente Especializado da Assistência Farmacêutica durante o período de dezembro de 2014 a março de 2015. A adesão foi mensurada pelo Brief Medication Questionnaire, sendo definidos como aderentes indivíduos que não apresentaram barreiras para a adesão nos três domínios. O acesso regular foi definido como a obtenção de todos os medicamentos nos últimos três meses, independentemente da forma de obtenção (pago ou gratuito). A análise dos dados foi realizada por regressão de Poisson com variância robusta. RESULTADOS Foram entrevistados 414 indivíduos, a maioria mulheres (60,9%), média de idade de 55 anos (DP = 13), utilizando um único medicamento do Componente Especializado da Assistência Farmacêutica (68,1%). A prevalência de adesão aos medicamentos utilizados nos últimos sete dias foi de 28,3%, a prevalência de acesso regular gratuito foi de 46,1%; e 25,7% não tiveram acesso a todo o tratamento. Após ajuste para número de medicamentos do Componente Especializado da Assistência Farmacêutica e número de medicamentos de uso contínuo, usuários que tiveram acesso regular gratuito nos últimos três meses apresentaram 60% mais probabilidade de adesão. Para indivíduos com acesso regular mantido mediante pagamento, não foi encontrada associação entre o acesso e a adesão. CONCLUSÕES A regularidade no acesso gratuito aos medicamentos do Componente Especializado da Assistência Farmacêutica tem impacto no comportamento do usuário, contribuindo para seu comprometimento com o tratamento e para o autocuidado. O Componente Especializado da Assistência Farmacêutica necessita de programação, a fim de evitar a irregularidade no acesso, que sugere uma importante limitação das políticas de medicamentos no país.

[Trends in hospitalization for primary care-sensitive conditions and associated factors in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil]. / Tendência das internações por condição sensível à atenção primária e fatores associados em Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.

An ecological study was conducted to analyze trends in hospitalization for primary care-sensitive conditions linking the results to the investments in health and coverage of the Family Health Strategy in Porto Alegre, between 1998 and 2012. The causes of hospitalization for primary care-sensitive conditions were based on the national list provided by the Ministry of Health. The data were obtained from the Hospital Information System of the Unified Health System (SUS). Standardized rates were created and investments increased by 27%, though investments in primary care increased by 83%. The expansion of coverage by the Family Health Strategy was almost fourfold, though it remained below the recommended values. There was no change in the trend of hospitalization for primary care-sensitive conditions. The analysis did not make it possible to establish if patients who were hospitalized for primary care-sensitive conditions had access to the Family Health Strategy or not, suggesting the need to incorporate data of place of origin in the information system. Studies using the Hospital Information System contribute to its enhancement, fomenting the assessment, management and design of health policies.

Tendência das internações por condição sensível à atenção primária e fatores associados em Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil / Trends in hospitalization for primary care-sensitive conditions and associated factors in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Resumo Realizou-se estudo ecológico para analisar a tendência das internações por condições sensíveis à atenção primária relacionando-as com os investimentos financeiros em saúde e a cobertura da Estratégia Saúde da Família em Porto Alegre, entre 1998 e 2012. As causas de internações por condições sensíveis à atenção primária foram baseadas na lista nacional, conforme o Ministério da Saúde. Os dados foram retirados do Sistema de Informações Hospitalares do SUS. Foram construídas taxas padronizadas. Os investimentos financeiros aumentaram 27% e em atenção primária 83%. A expansão da cobertura pela Estratégia Saúde da Família foi de cerca de quatro vezes, entretanto, continuou abaixo do preconizado. Não houve alteração na tendência das internações por condições sensíveis à atenção primária. A análise não permitiu distinguir se os pacientes que internaram por condições sensíveis à atenção primária tinham acesso à Estratégia Saúde da Família ou não, sugerindo a necessidade de se incorporar no sistema de informações dados sobre o local de origem. Estudos utilizando o Sistema de Informações Hospitalares contribuem para seu aprimoramento, propiciando a avaliação, a gestão e o delineamento de políticas de saúde.

Abstract An ecological study was conducted to analyze trends in hospitalization for primary care-sensitive conditions linking the results to the investments in health and coverage of the Family Health Strategy in Porto Alegre, between 1998 and 2012. The causes of hospitalization for primary care-sensitive conditions were based on the national list provided by the Ministry of Health. The data were obtained from the Hospital Information System of the Unified Health System (SUS). Standardized rates were created and investments increased by 27%, though investments in primary care increased by 83%. The expansion of coverage by the Family Health Strategy was almost fourfold, though it remained below the recommended values. There was no change in the trend of hospitalization for primary care-sensitive conditions. The analysis did not make it possible to establish if patients who were hospitalized for primary care-sensitive conditions had access to the Family Health Strategy or not, suggesting the need to incorporate data of place of origin in the information system. Studies using the Hospital Information System contribute to its enhancement, fomenting the assessment, management and design of health policies.