This study evaluates whether the integration of pharmacists into health-care teams through the delivery of pharmaceutical care-based medication therapy management (MTM) services can improve the clinical outcomes of patients with chronic health conditions in the primary health-care setting. A retrospective descriptive study of 92 outpatients assisted by MTM pharmacists in primary health-care units was carried out over 28 months (median follow-up: 05 months). Patients were followed up by MTM pharmacists, with a total of 359 encounters and a ratio of 3.9 encounters per patient. The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidaemia was 29.5%, 22.0% and 19.4%, respectively. There was a high prevalence of drug-related problems with a ratio of 3.4 per patient. Pharmacists performed a total of 307 interventions to prevent or resolve drug-related problems. With regard to control of the most prevalent chronic medical conditions, a high percentage of patients reached their therapy goals by the last encounter with the pharmacist: 90.0% for hypertension, 72.3% for diabetes mellitus and 90.3% for dyslipidaemia. MTM services provided by pharmacists resolved drug therapy problems and improved patients' clinical outcomes. This study provides evidence for health-care managers of the need to expand the clinical role of pharmacists within the Brazilian public health-care system. Uniterms: Pharmaceutical care/primary care. Medication therapy management. Chronic health/ conditions. Pharmacists/professional practice/Brazil

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The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of Potentially Inappropriate Medication (PIM) use and associated factors, as well as the prevalence of Prescribing Omissions (PO). A cross-sectional study was conducted in a philanthropic Brazilian nursing home involving 46 individuals aged 60 years or older. The following information was collected from medical records and drug prescriptions: gender, age, health conditions and drugs used in the past thirty days. PIM and PO were identified according to the Beers' Criteria and the STOPP/START screening tools. Over one third (37%) of the population used at least one PIM according to the Beers' Criteria (n=17) and 60.9% according to the STOPP tool. A significant association was found between polypharmacy (use of five or more drugs) and use of PIM according to the Beers' Criteria, but not according to the STOPP. Eight residents (17.4%) were exposed to eight PO. This study allowed the diagnosis of a concerning drug utilization profile with use of a high number of PIMs. Thus, there is an evident need to implement strategies for improving geriatric prescription. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a prevalência de uso de medicamentos potencialmente inadequados (MPI) e fatores associados, bem como a prevalência de omissões farmacoterapêuticas (OF). Trata-se de um estudo transversal realizado em uma instituição filantrópica brasileira de longa permanência com 46 indivíduos com 60 anos ou mais. As seguintes informações foram coletadas a partir de prontuários e prescrições: sexo, idade, condições de saúde e medicamentos utilizados nos últimos trinta dias. MPI e OF foram identificados pelo Critério de Beers e as ferramentas de triagem STOPP/START. Mais de um terço (37%) da população utilizou pelo menos, um MPI de acordo com os critérios de Beers (n=17) e 60.9% de acordo com a ferramenta STOPP. Associação estatisticamente significante foi detectada entre a polifarmácia (consumo de cinco ou mais medicamentos) e uso de MPI de acordo com os critérios de Beers, mas não de acordo com o STOPP. Oito residentes (17,4%) foram expostos a oito OF. Este estudo permitiu o diagnóstico de um perfil de utilização de medicamentos preocupante com número elevado de utilização de MPI. Isso indica a necessidade de implementar estratégias para melhorar a qualidade da prescrição geriátrica. UnitermsUnitermos: Farmacoepidemiologia. Atenção farmacêutica. Idoso/uso inapropriado de medicamentos. Medicamentos/prescrição inadequada. Medicamentos/uso inapropriado. Critério de Beers.

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