ObjectiveTo evaluate the incidence of potential drug-drug interactions in an intensive care unit of a hospital, focusing on antimicrobial drugs.MethodsThis cross-sectional study analyzed electronic prescriptions of patients admitted to the intensive care unit of a teaching hospital between January 1 and March 31, 2014 and assessed potential drug-drug interactions associated with antimicrobial drugs. Antimicrobial drug consumption levels were expressed in daily doses per 100 patient-days. The search and classification of the interactions were based on the Micromedex® system.ResultsThe daily prescriptions of 82 patients were analyzed, totaling 656 prescriptions. Antimicrobial drugs represented 25% of all prescription drugs, with meropenem, vancomycin and ceftriaxone being the most prescribed medications. According to the approach of daily dose per 100 patient-days, the most commonly used antimicrobial drugs were cefepime, meropenem, sulfamethoxazole + trimethoprim and ciprofloxacin. The mean number of interactions per patient was 2.6. Among the interactions, 51% were classified as contraindicated or significantly severe. Highly significant interactions (clinical value 1 and 2) were observed with a prevalence of 98%.ConclusionThe current study demonstrated that antimicrobial drugs are frequently prescribed in intensive care units and present a very high number of potential drug-drug interactions, with most of them being considered highly significant.

Introduction: Hormonal therapy in breast cancer is essential to the transition from active treatment to care survival, because it improves long-term survival and provides a better quality of life. reducing hospital costs as well. However, adherence and persistence in the recommended treatment are important to achieve the desirable results. Methodology: This is a cohort retrospective study of 182 women on hormonal treatment identified at a high complexity oncology unit, in the southeastern region of Brazil, and followed-up until 2014. We performed a bivariate analysis to analyze the factors associated with adherence and we conducted the multivariate Cox regression to identify variables associated with discontinuity of treatment over time. Results: Overall adherence was 85.2% and persistence was 45.4% at the end of 5 years. No association was found between the studied independent variables and adherence. Women with advanced stage (HR = 2.24; 95% confidence interval 1.45 -3.45), who did not undergo surgery (HR = 3.46; 95%CI 2.00 -5.97), and with three or more hospitalizations (HR = 6.06; 95%CI 2.53 -14.54) exhibited increased risk of discontinuity. Discussion: The variables associated with persistence reflect the relation between the highest disease severity and the discontinuity of adjuvant hormonal treatment. Conclusion: Despite the high adherence level, there is a progressive increase in non-persistence among women on hormonal therapy, influenced by characteristics related to disease severity, which contributes to an inadequate therapeutic response.

As enteroparasitoses são causas relevantes de agravo à saúde, sendo frequentes principalmente em crianças com idade escolar. Saneamento básico, higiene e nível socioeconômico são fatores determinantes para a transmissão de parasitoses intestinais. O objetivo foi avaliar a prevalência das parasitoses intestinais em crianças em idade escolar, caracterizar o perfil socioeconômico e de moradia da população e analisar o perfil das parasitoses no município de Rio Preto/MG. O estudo descritivo e transversal analisou amostras de fezes de 79 crianças de 4 a 7 anos em uma escola municipal. A coleta das amostras fecais foi realizada pelo sistema parasitológico Paratest® Formalina 5 para pesquisa de ovos e larvas de helmintos e cistos de protozoários. O material foi avaliado conforme suas características morfológicas através da análise microscópica do sedimento, por quatro observadores. A média de idade foi de 5,6 anos (± 1,1), sendo 51,9% crianças do gênero feminino. A prevalência de parasitoses foi de 11,4% e os protozoários prevalentes foram Giardia lamblia, Endolimax nana e Entamoeba coli. Verificou-se que 69,6% das casas possuíam abastecimento de água tratada; 65,8% possuíam rede de esgoto; 85,0% consumiam água filtrada, mineral ou clorada em casa; e 92,5% declararam lavar as mãos antes das refeições e após usar o banheiro. A prevalência de parasitoses nas crianças participantes do estudo foi considerada baixa e os protozoários encontrados foram Giardia lamblia, Endolimax nana e Entamoeba coli. Apesar da baixa prevalência encontrada, estudos parasitológicos são considerados de extrema importância para o conhecimento das condições de saúde da população, visando a implementação de ações de educação, orientação em saúde e prevenção.

Background Prescription of medications for elderly individuals is complex, potentially involving polypharmacy, drug interactions, and inappropriate medication. Notable among the medications are benzodiazepines, whose long-term use is common and growing among the elderly population. Objective This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of potential drug interactions (PDI) in elderly community-dwelling patients who use benzodiazepines. Method Cross-sectional study, conducted via household survey, with 73 elderly persons in Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil. The search and classification of PDIs was carried out using the Micromedex® system. Results The prevalence of benzodiazepine use in this population was 18.3% (95% CI, 15.2-21.6). The use of benzodiazepines was associated with polypharmacy (p<0.01; PR 3.03; 95% CI, 1.79-5.26). A total of 157 PDI occurrences were found in 69.9% of the elderly people assessed. Of these, 25 were related to benzodiazepines. In the elderly individuals who use benzodiazepines, polypharmacy was associated with PDI (p<0.01; PR = 16.13; 95% CI, 4.67-55.55). PDI occurrence was high in the elderly people who use benzodiazepines, including interactions of highly significant clinical value. Conclusion In general, PDI is associated with polypharmacy, which demonstrates the need to rationalize drug use in the elderly population through continuous monitoring, seeking the simplest and safest possible therapeutic regimen.

Objective: to assess the prevalence of and factors associated with the use of benzodiazepines in elderly persons living in the community. Method: a cross-sectional study was conducted through a household survey of 423 elderly persons from Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil. To analyze the factors associated with the outcome, the Poisson regression model was used, based on the theoretical model of determination with hierarchical blocks. The variables were adjusted within each block, with those with a 5% significance level remaining in the final model. Result: The prevalence of benzodiazepine use was 18.3% (95% CI 15.2 to 21.6). Most benzodiazepines used had a long-elimination half-life (59.2%) and use was considered long in 85.5% of users. Among benzodiazepine users 38.4% also used antidepressants. The use of these drugs was associated with the presence of self-reported mental and behavioral disorders, polypharmacy and medical visits in the last three months. Conclusion: The use of benzodiazepines was considered high among the elderly. The reduction in the prescription of these drugs should be assessed individually, considering the physiological alterations of the elderly and the adverse effects of drugs, in order to minimize incorrect prescriptions.