A literatura médica reconhece que o envelhecimento predispõe a um consumo aumentado de medicamentos prescritos e não-prescritos. No entanto, mudanças fisiológicas relacionadas ao envelhecimento, tais como a modificação da composição corporal e a redução das funções renal e hepática, podem alterar em muito a farmacocinética e a farmacodinâmica de diversos fármacos, fazendo com que indivíduos idosos estejam suscetíveis com maior freqüência a efeitos adversos ou terapêuticos mais intensos. Neste cenário, a literatura médica tem sido constantemente enriquecida com estudos que apontam explicitamente para medicamentos específicos ou categorias de medicamentos cujo consumo por indivíduos idosos deve ser evitado ou utilizado com cautela. Este trabalho se propõe a descrever brevemente algumas informações consensuais acerca destes medicamentos impróprios para idosos, ressaltando alguns fármacos que se encontram disponíveis à população brasileira.

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OBJECTIVE To evaluate patient satisfaction with pharmaceutical services in Brazilian primary health care.METHODS This is a cross-sectional, exploratory, and evaluative study on a representative sample from the five Brazilian geopolitical regions resulting from the Pesquisa Nacional sobre Acesso, Utilização e Promoção do Uso Racional de Medicamentos – Serviços, 2015 (PNAUM – National Survey on Access, Use and Promotion of Rational Use of Medicines – Services, 2015). The outcome was the patient’s satisfaction, obtained using the item response theory. Associations were tested using Pearson’s Chi-square test with sociodemographic and health variables, and multiple logistic regression analyses were carried out. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test was used to verify the adequacy of the final model. Logistic regression results were presented as odds ratio.RESULTS The overall percentage of patients satisfied with these services was 58.4% (95%CI 54.4-62.3). The “opportunity/convenience” aspect had the lowest satisfaction percentage (49.5%; 95%CI 46.4-52.6) and “interpersonal aspects,” the highest percentage (90.5%; 95%CI 88.9-91.8), significantly higher than other aspects. Sex, age group, limitations due to disease, and self-perception of health remained associated in the final multiple logistic model regarding general satisfaction.CONCLUSIONS Most of the interviewed users were satisfied with pharmaceutical services in Brazilian cities, and the satisfaction with the customer’s service was determinant in the patient’s overall satisfaction.

Análise do perfil de automedicação em mulheres idosas brasileirasAnalysis of the self-medication pattern among Brazilian elderly women

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVES:Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a complex clinicopathological entity characterized by diffuse or focal fat accumulation in the hepatic parenchyma of patients who deny abusive alcohol consumption. This study aimed to assess idiopathic NAFLD in community-dwelling, middle-aged and older adults living in the Brazilian Federal District. Associations between NAFLD and components of metabolic syndrome and the whole syndrome were investigated. DESIGN AND SETTINGS:This was a cross-sectional study on 139 subjects aged 55 years or older. METHODS:NAFLD was diagnosed by means of clinical procedures, to exclude subjects with signs of liver disorders, abusive alcohol consumption and infl uence from hepatotoxic drugs. Phenotypes were graded based on ultrasound examination. Metabolic syndrome was defi ned using the NCEP ATP III criteria. Laboratory tests were performed to assist clinical examinations and defi ne the syndrome. RESULTS:NAFLD was present in 35.2% of the subjects. Taken together, the two most intense phenotypes correlated with increased serum fasting glucose, triglyceride and VLDL cholesterol levels. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed in 25.9% of the sample. In addition to associating NAFLD with specifi c traits of metabolic syndrome, non-parametric analysis confi rmed the existence of a relationship (p < 0.05) between the steatotic manifestation and the syndromic condition. CONCLUSION:Compared with the literature, this study reveals greater frequency of idiopathic NAFLD among Brazilian middle-aged and older adults than is described elsewhere. The fi ndings also suggest that impaired glycemic metabolism coupled with increased fat delivery and/or sustained endogenous biosynthesis is the most likely physiopathogenic mechanisms underlying the onset of NAFLD in this population.

ResumoObjetivo: Identificar os fatores associados à qualidade de vida de idosos que frequentam uma unidade de saúde de Ceilândia-DF. Método: Pesquisa de abordagem quantitativa do tipo descritiva com delineamento transversal, realizada com 277 idosos, por meio de entrevista para investigação das variáveis demográficas, socioeconômicas, clínicas e aplicação do WHOQOL-bref, com análise estatística descritiva. Resultados: Os idosos avaliados demonstraram melhor qualidade de vida no domínio "relações sociais", seguido do "psicológico", "físico" e, por último, "meio ambiente". Conclusões: Os fatores significativamente associados à qualidade de vida neste estudo foram: doença, tabagismo, atividade física, alteração visual e história de queda. Os problemas/barreiras conhecidos neste estudo podem direcionar os profissionais de saúde que atuam na atenção primária. A assistência direcionada poderá permitir uma relação de confiança entre o profissional de saúde e o idoso, além de auxiliá-los a resolver os problemas/ barreiras que estão afetando sua qualidade de vida. AbstractObjective: To identify factors associated with quality of life of elderly attending a Health Unit in Ceilandia, Federal District, Brazil. Method: Quantitative approach with descriptive cross-sectional design conducted with 277 elderly through interviews to investigate demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical variables and application of the WHOQOL-bref, with descriptive statistical analysis. Results: The elderly showed better quality of life in the domain "social relations", followed by "psychological", "physical" and finally "environment". Conclusions: Factors significantly associated with quality of life in this study were: disease, smoking, physical activity, visual and history of falls. The problems / barriers known in this study can guide the health professionals who work at primary health care. The targeted assistance may enable a trusting relationship between the health professional and the elderly as well as help them to solve the problems / barriers that affect their quality of life.

Average retail prices of essential drugs in Brazil are significantly higher than in Sweden. Furthermore, international bulk prices indicate that drugs are brought to market by Brazil's private pharmacies at prices that may be excessively high in relation to production costs, creating high profit margins. The expected price-lowering effects of competition were not identified.

This article describes the analysis of the frequency, type and risk factors relating to errors in the preparation and administration of medications in patients admitted to a public hospital in Brasilia Federal District, Brazil, which serves a population of approximately 500,000 inhabitants. Patients are commonly affected and harmed by medication errors, almost half of which are preventable. This is a cross-sectional, descriptive and exploratory study conducted in a clinical medicine unit. Direct observations were made by eight nurse technicians. The type of error, the type of drug involved and associated risk factors were analysed. Relationships between the occurrence of errors and risk factors were studied with logistic regression models. Of the 484 observed doses, 69.5% errors occurred during drug administration, 69.6% during the preparation stage, 48.6% were timing errors, 1.7% were dose-related errors and 9.5% were errors of omission. More than one error was detected in 34.5% of occasions. Unlabelled drugs increased the risk of timing errors by a factor of 13.72. Interruptions in preparation increased the risk of errors by a factor of 3.75. Caring for a larger number of patients (8-9) increased the risk of timing errors by a factor of 8.27. The research shows the need to manage the risk of medication errors in their real-life contexts by interposing safety barriers between the hazards and potential errors.