This study aimed to identify the drugs used by elderly patients treated in a Basic Health Unit (UBS) in the city of Ijuí, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, identify the potentially inappropriate medications for this age group, and assess potential interactions between these drugs. It is a cross-sectional and documental study on 429 prescriptions dispensed from January to November 2010, for 286 elderly. Most elderly are female (67.13%), mean age 71.59±7.77 years, most of them aged 60-79 years. Were dispensed 87 different pharmaceuticals, totaling 1,336 medications, with mean of 4.67±2.52 drugs/elderly/prescription, ranging from 1 to 15 drugs/elderly. There was polypharmacy in 135 (47.20%) elderly. The most commonly prescribed drugs act on the cardiovascular system, digestive system, metabolism, blood and organs. Of the total number of pharmaceutical specialties, 14 (16.09%) were considered potentially inappropriate medications according to the Beers criteria, which were prescribed to 62 (21.68%) elderly. Forty elderly (56.34%) are exposed to potentially inappropriate drug interactions, among these 27 (67.50%) are exposed to two or more interactions. Polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medications were identified in this study, but these can be necessary to the elderly considering the prevalence of chronic diseases in this age group. So we suggest the use of Beers criteria in the evaluation of pharmacotherapy to the elderly, emphasizing the need to incorporate the use of non-pharmacological therapies so as to encourage reduction to the medicine use.
Elderly; Drug Interactions; Drug Prescriptions; Drug Utilization; Drug Therapy; Pharmacotherapy