Um país que envelhece: as consequências da polifarmácia e interação fármaco-nutriente em idosos

Abstract

All over the world, due to the improvement of living conditions and health, there was a considerable increase in the life expectancy of the elderly population, in addition, as the medical literature demonstrates, the aging process and physiological changes related to aging contribute to the consumption increased number of medicines in this population. The concomitant use of medication is often a strategy that aims to bring benefits, but it can also cause undesirable hospitalizations. The use of polypharmacy is a reality in this population, and polypharmacy is defined as the concomitant use of two or more drugs or the unnecessary use of at least one drug. Numerous factors affect the quality of life of the elderly, not only the use of polypharmacy but the nutritional status, it is also a particularly crucial factor to stand out as a supporting factor in possible interactions. In this scenario, health professionals, including the pharmacist, must pay close attention to polypharmacy, so that a better quality of life for the elderly can be achieved. Therefore, the objective of this article is to clarify and demonstrate, through a review, the drug-nutrient interaction, use of polypharmacy in the elderly in Brazil, and the monitoring of the multidisciplinary team for better performance in the treatment of elderly patients.