Acta Biomedica Brasiliensia

1 - 9

Authors: Carolina Chaves Ramos & Denise Aparecida da Silva

Elders constitute the age-group that most uses polytherapy, in accordance with population studies, both in small towns of the country and in large urban centers. Thus, this research aims to evaluate the prevalence of the polytherapy in the medical prescriptions associated with the age-bracket. A research was carried out through interviews in one drug-store in Santo Antonio de Pádua city, state of Rio de Janeiro, from January to April 2009, when the prescriptions presented during the same period had been also evaluated. Among a total of 300 prescriptions and questionnaires, 239 (79.67%) contained more than one medicine and 61 (20.33%) only one medicine. A total of 95 prescriptions (39.75%) presented the association of two medicines, 73 (30.54%) association of three medicines, 36 (15.06%) of four medicines, 19 (7.95%) of five medicines and 16 (6.70%) reported an association of six or more medicines. In relation to the age-bracket of the patients treated with polytherapy; it was evidenced that 83 patients (34.7%) were under 10 years and 49 (20.5%) were over 60 years of age. The results had indicated that the majority of the medical prescriptions presents more than one medicine; among the prescriptions with polytherapy, the majority presents associations of two medicines; children correspond to the populationa group with more prevalence of polytherapy, followed by elders; the most frequent medicinal associations for children are of antimicrobials and AINH, followed by antimicrobials and AIH; the most frequent associations for elders include two or more antihypertensives and antihypertensives with diuretics.