Brasil

Abstract

Population aging in Brazil, driven by advances in healthcare, has contributed to a rise in chronic diseases and the concurrent use of multiple medications among older adults, a phenomenon known as polypharmacy, which is more frequently observed in institutionalized patients. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of polypharmacy and its associated factors in residents of a Long-Term Care Facility for the Elderly located in the interior of Southern Brazil. It is a cross-sectional, analytical, quantitative, and retrospective investigation, based on the medical records of 44 individuals aged 60 years or older. The dependent variable was polypharmacy, while the independent variables included sociodemographic and health-related characteristics. It was found that 86.4% of the elderly used multiple medications, particularly psychotropic drugs. The main associated factors included the presence of comorbidities, especially systemic arterial hypertension, use of potentially inappropriate medications, hospital admissions, and frailty. It is concluded that institutionalized older adults present high vulnerability, requiring more cautious and individualized pharmacotherapeutic care.