1 research outputs found
Elderly drug utilization in the community assessed through pharmacy dispensing data.
People of 65 years and above now comprise a greater share of the world's population than ever before,
and this proportion will increase during the 21st century. In Spain, between 55 and 90% of the elderly
consume a drug. This study characterizes the use of drugs by elderly through dispensing data at the
community pharmacy. This study was conducted at a community pharmacy in Madrid, Spain in 2011. A
retrospective and descriptive consumption study was conducted using computerized pharmacy
dispensing records for all pensioner patients. Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) Classification
code of all drugs dispensed was recorded in this database accordingly and this classification was used.
The 10 most widely used ATC subgroups (2nd level) were determined. These most widely used ATC
subgroups were examined using ATC-codes of the 5th level, thus mostly consumed drugs were
estimated. A total of 40, 177 drugs were dispensed to patients with prescriptions for pensioners. Antiinflammatory
and analgesic were by far the most widely used drugs: 37.2% of all elderly used drugs
from this subgroup. The use of drugs from the remaining nine subgroups was considerably lower,
ranging from 9.0% (drugs for obstructive airway diseases) to 4.5% (antineoplastic and beta blocking
agents). Cardiac therapy and psycholeptic were used by 7.8%. Diuretic were used by 7.5% of elderly
people, while antibacterial for systemic use and psycoanaleptic were used by 5.6%. Psychoanaleptics
was consumed in 5.6%, mostly represented by venlafaxine and citalopram. According to the dispensing
data, drug use in this sample is similar to that reported by other studies conducted in Spain and
abroad. Majority of the elderly were exposed to anti-inflammatory, analgesic and drugs for obstructive
airway diseases. Other ATC-subgroups for treatment of cardiovascular conditions were used. This
study demonstrates the need for involvement of pharmacists to ensure efficacy and safety in the use of
drugs by sensitive populations such as elderly at the community setting