Patterns of drug consumption in relation with the pathologies in elderly subjects of a Health Area of León

AM Sahagun-Prieto1, AM Vega-Fernandez2, R Diez-Laiz1, JF Garcia-Sierra3, I Casado-Verdejo2, MN Fernandez-Martinez0. 1University of León, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine. 24071, Spain, 2University of León, Department of Nursing and Physical Therapy. 24071,, Spain, 3University of León, Department of Mechanical, Computer and Aerospace Engineering. 24071, Spain

Introduction: Age is one of the factors more commonly associated to drug consumption. Chronic diseases are frequent in elderly population, who consumes more drugs for their chronic conditions compared to any age group. The aim of this study was to know the most prevalent pathologies and the quality of drug treatments associated to these pathologies in elderly patients over age 65 belonging to a Health Area of the province of León.

Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was developed. A random sample of 304 patients over 65 years was selected, and a personal interview was carried out in a Health Center by healthcare professionals.

Results and Discussion: 86% of the population studied suffer any kind of pathology (average age 74 years). The most frequently diagnosed diseases were arthrosis (49%), high blood pressure (41%), hyperlipidemia (41%) heart pathologies (21%), circulation diseases (35%), diabetes mellitus (19%), mental diseases (17%) and allergy (7%). Patients who follow a treatment prescribed by a healthcare professional vary with the pathology: all of them follow the treatment when suffering mental illness, whilst only 28% does for arthrosis. Polymedication increases proportionally when several pathologies are associated (18% patients suffering one illness, intake 1.4 drugs; 61% patients with 2-4 diseases, intake 3 drugs; 21% patients with > 4 pathologies, intake 5-6 drugs). On the other hand, in those people who have no pathology diagnosed (14%) (average age 75 years), self-medication is frequent (55%), mostly analgesics.

Conclusions: Pharmacological treatments appear to be well correlated with diagnosed pathologies. Intervention campaigns should be carried out in this group of population to increase adherence to treatment in certain diseases, and to avoid self-medication and potential drug-interactions.