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.

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to develop and validate a Potentially Inappropriate Medications (PIM) list and alternative therapies for treatment of pain and inflammation in older people adapted to the Brazilian context. Methods: A preliminary PIM list suitable for the Brazilian market was developed on the basis of three published international PIM lists [Beers 2015, Screening Tool of Older People’s Potentially Inappropriate Prescriptions - 2015, European Union (7) PIM list]. We used the modified Delphi technique (two-round) to validate concerns of use and alternative therapies related to PIM for treatment of pain and inflammation in older adults ≥65 years in Brazil. The panel involved nine Brazilian experts in geriatric pharmacotherapy. All items with mean Likert scale score ≥4.0 (agree) and the lower limit of 95% confidence interval ≥4.0 were considered validated in this study. Results: At the end of the consensus process, 94 (65.3%) items of 144 were validated. In total, consensus was reached for 33/35 (94.3%) concerns about drugs that should be avoided in older patients regardless of diagnosis, for 22/23 (95.7%) concerns about drugs that should be avoided in older patients with specific conditions or diseases, for 11/23 (47.8%) with special considerations of use, and for 28/63 (44.4%) of therapeutic alternatives. Conclusion: Although these criteria are not designed to replace clinical judgement, PIM and alternative therapies lists can be useful to inform prescribers, pharmacists, and health care planners and may serve as a starting point for safe and effective use of medications in older people.

O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar o conhecimento sobre a farmacoterapia em usuários de medicamentos para hipertensão arterial. Estudo quantitativo transversal com adultos de 20 anos ou mais de idade, usuários de anti-hipertensivos dispensados na Farmácia Básica de São Francisco de Paula, RS. Avaliou-se o conhecimento sobre o nome do medicamento, indicação terapêutica, dose, frequência/horários de administração e duração do tratamento, por meio de um escore (0-5). Utilizou-se regressão linear múltipla para investigar a relação com características dos usuários. Entrevistou-se 678 usuários de medicamentos. A média de escore de conhecimento foi de 3,27 (dp = 1,16). Menor idade, maior escolaridade, cor da pele branca, melhor percepção de saúde e menor número de medicamentos prescritos mostraram-se associados a um maior escore de conhecimento. Observou-se um conhecimento limitado em relação a todos os aspectos avaliados, o que pode comprometer o uso correto e seguro da farmacoterapia, sugerindo a necessidade de melhor orientação e acompanhamento dos usuários para o controle dessa morbidade.

BackgroundDeprescribing is the planned and supervised process of dose reduction or stopping of medication that might be causing harm, or no longer be of benefit. It is an activity that should be a normal part of care/the prescribing cycle. Although now broadly recognised, there are still challenges in its effective implementation.ObjectivesTo develop and validate an instrument to measure Brazilian healthcare professionals’ knowledge, attitudes and practices towards deprescribing.MethodsThis study will include the following steps: (1) development of the preliminary instrument; (2) content validation; (3) pilot study; (4) evaluation of psychometric characteristics. After the elaboration of items of the instrument through the literature review, we will use a hybrid Delphi method to develop and establish the content validity of the instrument. Further, a pilot survey will be performed with 30 healthcare professionals. Finally, for the evaluation of psychometric characteristics, a cross-sectional study will be accomplished with a representative sample of different healthcare professionals from different Brazilian states using respondent-driven sampling. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis will be performed. For assessing the model fit, we will use the ratio of χ2 and df (χ2/df), comparative fit index, the goodness of fit index and root mean square error of approximation. In addition, the reliability of the instrument will be estimated by test–retest reproducibility and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (α).Ethics and disseminationThe Ethics Committee for Research at the University of Sorocaba (ethics approval number: 3.848.916) approved the study. Study findings will be circulated to healthcare professionals and scientists in the field through publication in peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations.

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 O estudo tem por objetivo analisar o consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados relacionando com fatores sociodemográficos, comportamentais e nutricionais em escolares da rede municipal de ensino de Caxias do Sul-RS. Trata-se de um estudo transversal, com 1.309 escolares na faixa etária entre 6 e 16 anos. O consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados foi obtido por meio de um questionário de acordo com o autorrelato do escolar. Utilizou-se um questionário pré-testado para avaliar as características do escolar e dos familiares. Utilizou-se a regressão de Poisson para análise do desfecho e fatores associados por meio de um modelo hierárquico. Considerou-se estatisticamente significtivos resultados com valor p ≤ 0,05. Resultados: Identificou-se elevada prevalência de consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados entre os escolares (69,7%). Após análise ajustada, maiores prevalências de consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados foram associadas a comprar/levar lanche para escola e realizar lanches. Já o aconselhamento nutricional foi associado à proteção em relação ao consumo destes alimentos. Conclusão: Fazem-se necessárias ações de educação nutricional para escolares e responsáveis a fim de reduzir o consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados pelos escolares principalmente nos lanches.

Objetivou-se avaliar o conhecimento sobre hipertensão arterial sistêmica (HAS) e fatores associados, por meio de estudo transversal com adultos usuários de medicamentos anti-hipertensivos adquiridos na Farmácia Básica de São Francisco de Paula, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Avaliou-se o conhecimento sobre os limites de normalidade para a pressão arterial sistólica e diastólica e sobre a condição crônica da HAS. Utilizou-se regressão multinomial para conhecimento (satisfatório/moderado/insatisfatório) e considerou-se como satisfatório o conhecimento sobre dois ou mais aspectos avaliados. Dos 635 usuários, portadores de HAS, 27,7% apresentaram conhecimento satisfatório e 47,2% conheciam apenas a cronicidade da HAS. Após ajuste, sexo feminino, maior escolaridade, não morar só, comportamento saudável e maior tempo de diagnóstico associaram-se ao conhecimento satisfatório sobre a HAS. Considerando a importância da autonomia do portador no monitoramento dos níveis tensionais e da continuidade do tratamento no controle da pressão arterial, encontrou-se baixa prevalência de conhecimento satisfatório.

IntroductionAntiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV/AIDS is associated with adverse events (AEs). However, little is known about the differences in the risk of AEs between women and men living with HIV/AIDS. This study aims to determine (1) whether there are sex differences in the risk of AEs in people with HIV/AIDS treated with ART and (2) the prevalence of AEs to the reproductive system and bone mineral density in women.Methods and analysisThis systematic review (SR) will include randomised trials evaluating ART in people living with HIV/AIDS with at least 12 weeks of duration follow-up. Searches will be conducted in Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, Epistemonikos, Lilacs, trial registries and grey literature databases, without restriction on publication status, year of publication and language. The primary outcome will be the risk of ART discontinuation or drop-outs/withdrawals of ART due to AEs and the number of any treatment-emergent AE. The secondary outcomes are the incidence of serious clinic or laboratory (grade 3 and/or 4) treatment-emergent AEs, hospitalisation, death and AEs specific to the reproductive system and bone mineral density (osteoporosis, osteopenia and fractures) of women. Selection, data extraction and quality assessment will be performed by pairs of reviewers. Cochrane collaboration tools will be used to assess the risk of bias. If appropriate, a meta-analysis will be conducted to synthesise results. The overall quality of the evidence for each outcome will be determined by the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation.Ethics and disseminationThe results of this SR will assist the formulation of public policies aimed at the management and monitoring of AEs of ART in people living with HIV/AIDS. A deliberative dialogue will be scheduled with the Department of Chronic Conditions and Sexually Transmitted Infections of Brazil’s Ministry of Health to align the project with policymakers’ interests.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42021251051.