Profile and Appropriateness of Medicines in Elderly Inpatients in an University Hospital of Fortaleza City, Ceará

Abstract

The present study was developed from october 2006 to may 2007 in a public hospital of teaching on Fortaleza city with the participation 50 older patients with age bigger or equal to 60 years old. The objective of study was to evaluate the profile and appropriateness of medicines in elderly inpatients based on Beers criteria, Canadian criteria and Swedish quality indicators of pharmacotherapy to older patients. In the set of the 50 patients admitted in the study 42% were men and 58% were women. Half of the elderly were in the range of 60 to 69 years old. Considering the Beers and Canadian criteria, 84% of the patients received inappropriate prescription medication. The study registered 17 medicines potentially inappropriate to elderly persons. Metoclopramide, mineral oil and diazepam were the most frequently prescribed, in this order. The results showed a high percentage received inappropriate prescription medication giving evidence of the necessity of a better attendance of prescribing to older patient.