Terapia anti-hipertensiva utilizada por pacientes idosos de Porto Alegre/RS, Brasil = Antihypertensive therapy used by elderly patients from Porto Alegre/RS, Brazil

Objetivos: Descrever o perfil de utilização de medicamentos com ação no sistema cardiovascular, especialmente anti-hipertensivos, por idosos residentes na cidade de Porto Alegre. Métodos: Estudo transversal exploratório e observacional com base populacional, realizado em 2006, sobre a utilização qualitativa e quantitativa de medicamentos por pacientes idosos. O instrumento utilizado para a coleta de dados foi uma ficha de seguimento farmacológico. Resultados: Do total de 385 pacientes entrevistados, 62,3% utilizavam medicamentos com ação no sistema cardiovascular, sendo que destes, 86,3% utilizavam anti-hipertensivos. Entre os 35,3% pacientes que faziam uso de monoterapia, 38,4% utilizavam inibidores da enzima conversora de angiotensina (ECA) e 26% utilizavam beta-bloqueadores. Dos 207 pacientes em monoterapia ou terapia combinada de dois ou mais medicamentos, 59,4% utilizavam diuréticos e 51,2% inibidores da ECA. Conclusões: Os diuréticos, inibidores da ECA e betabloqueadores foram os anti-hipertensivos mais utilizados. Muitas vezes o usuário comete erros na medicação, o que pode ser resolvido com uma assistência correta a esse paciente. Diante da prevalência da hipertensão entre os idosos, observa-se a necessidade de uma maior atenção dos profissionais de saú- de a esses paciente

Prevalence of intestinal parasites in the elderly enrolled in the Family Health Strategy in Porto Alegre, Brazil

OBJECTIVE: There are few studies on intestinal parasitic infections in elderly populations. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites and identify the association between this prevalence and the sociodemographic, environmental, and health factors of the elderly attended by the Family Health Strategy (FHS). METHOD: This cross-sectional study involved the analysis of data collected from a random sample of elderly individuals. Community health workers drafted a general questionnaire to collect epidemiological data. The project team also collected blood and stool samples at the healthcare unit where each individual was enrolled. RESULTS: Among 581 elderly people, the prevalence of intestinal parasites was 10.8%. The parasites found were as follows: Endolimax nana (42.7%), Entamoeba coli (33.8%), Giardia lamblia (8.8%), Ascaris lumbricoides (5.9%), Strongyloides stercoralis (4.4%), Trichuris trichiura (2.9%), and Iodamoeba bütschlii (1.5%). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of intestinal parasites in elderly persons was lower than that reported in other studies, and the parasites identified were predominantly non-pathogenic. The findings suggest the possibility that interpersonal transmission, environmental contamination, or the ingestion of contaminated food or water is occurring in this population. These findings also highlight the importance of the ongoing implementation of sanitation and hygiene education programs in this community.</p

Number of teeth and chewing satisfaction related to cardiometabolic, vascular diseases and self-perception of health in older adults

Aims: To determine the association of chewing satisfaction and number of teeth with cardiometabolic and vascular diseases and self-perception of health (SPH) in the elderly. Methods: An observational and population-based cross-sectional study was conducted with the participating elderly of the Multidimensional Study of Elderly of Porto Alegre (EMIPOA) who responded to a questionnaire about their oral health, which was applied by telephone. The following variables were analyzed: sex, age, age range, chewing satisfaction, number of teeth, SPH, coronary artery disease (CAD), cerebrovascular accident (CVA), diabetes mellitus (DM), Hypertension (SAH) and obesity. Results: There were 251 elderly evaluated averaging on age 72. 5±7. 6 years. The mean number of teeth was 8. 80±8. 91 while chewing satisfaction was reported by 52. 2%. A significant association (P<0. 05) was observed between satisfaction with chewing ability and mean number of teeth, DM and SPH (dissatisfied elderly had a lower mean number of teeth, poor/awful SPH and greater prevalence of DM). A significant association was also observed between mean number of teeth and age range, SPH, CVA, CAD, SAH (lower mean number of teeth in elderly ≥80 years and with fair/poor perception of health and the morbidities described). Conclusions: In the elderly of EMIPOA, oral health was found to be associated with age range, cardiometabolic and vascular diseases and self-perception of healt