Prevalencia y factores asociados a la prescripción inadecuada de fármacos en adultos mayores del Centro de Salud N°3, Cuenca 2015

Abstract

Background: Inappropriate prescribing is the greater risk of adverse effects, compared to clinical benefit. Studies show that the main factors associated with are; older age, malnutrition, polypharmacy and comorbidity. Objective: To determine the prevalence of inadequate prescriptions of medication with the STOPP/START instrument along with the associated factors in elder adults that receive medical attention in the Health Center Number 3, Nicanor Merchan in Cuenca, during 2015. Methodology: A cross-sectional analytical study was carried out, with randomized selection of clinical records of older adults; the statistical sample was 350 cases. The data were analyzed and processed in the SPSS V.15 program, the information was summarized through tables. In the descriptive analysis we used the frequency distribution (N °) and percentages (%), measures of central tendency; mean and dispersion measures; standard deviation. To quantify the intensity of the association, the Prevalence Ratio (PR) and 95% Confidence Interval were obtained. Results: The prevalence found under the STOPP-START criteria of inadequate prescription was 16.3%, and of the prescribed omissions of 2.9%. The factors that had a statistically significant association with inappropriate prescribing were polypharmacy (RP 3,364 p 0,000) and deficient nutritional status. (RP 1.72 p 0.048). Conclusions: Older adults are the most vulnerable to inadequate prescribing, a prevalence of (16.3%) was found, affecting more the male sex. It was evidenced that the risk factors statistically associated to an inadequate prescription are the polypharmacy and deficient nutritional status