scholarly journals Patterns of medication use and adherence to medications among residents in the elderly homes

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Magda AlGameel

Objective: To evaluate health care related to medication regimens among institutionalized elders in Damanhour, Beheira Governate, Egypt. Methods: A prospective, multi-centered, observational study was conducted in the two elderly residential homes in Damanhour between March and May 2017. A questionnaire was developed and validated to test for elderly socio-economic, chronic diseases, current therapy adherence, vaccination history and patient education. Descriptive and quantitative analysis were performed. Results: sixty-three elderly residents were included in the study. The sample showed broad socioeconomic variability posing a true reflection of Egyptian population. 63.5% had no hearing problems, 31.7% had proper vision and 57% could move with no help. More than three quarters had chronic diseases of which 58.7% were previously hospitalized. The most prevalent diseases were hypertension, diabetes and arthritis 46%, 41.3%, 26.9% respectively. Only 7.9% and 4.7% showed chronic liver and kidney diseases, respectively and less than 10% suffered from respiratory related diseases. No alcohol drinker, 25.3% were smokers and 58.7% drank caffeine. Only 25.3% of residents showed full adherence to their medication pattern. Approximately 80% of residents never received proper patient education. Forty-three residents did not know the indication of their medications and 92% ignored its side effects. Conclusion: Absence of proper medical care exposure for the elderly residents was reflected in their low medication adherence, adverse side effects and hospitalization. We suggest extension of the national medical insurance system to include larger number of elderly population. To monitor the care given concerning medication, a daily resident gerontological nurse needs to be assigned, visits by clinical pharmacists weekly or bi-weekly from the nearby governmental hospital can improve improper medication. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.4.1923 How to cite this:Algameel M. Patterns of Medication use and adherence to medications among residents in the elderly homes. Pak J Med Sci. 2020;36(4):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.4.1923 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Author(s):  
Massara Salah Abbas ◽  
Marwa Jamal ◽  
Mustafa Mohammed Sabri ◽  
Zainab Abdulrahman ◽  
Saad Abdulrahman Hussain

Background: As our society ages, the incidence of chronic diseases increases, and so does drug use and polypharmacy. Aim: To evaluate the medication use behaviors of selected elderly patients who lived in Baghdad city. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 225 subjects aged >60 years who lived in Baghdad city and consumed chronically prescribed medications. Data were collected using a survey form, and the survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews. The data are presented as numbers, percentages, and averages. Results: The majority were treated through polypharmacy, using various drugs. The most commonly used drugs included those used to treat cardiovascular diseases, DM, and dyslipidemia. 74.6% did not know about the side effects of the drugs they used, and 55.6% did not read the product information leaflet (PIL) of the drugs. Also, 70.7% said that the health care personnel did not educate them about their drugs. Of the elderly who were informed about their drugs, 128 obtained the information from the physician and 91 from the pharmacist. Conclusion: The majority of the elderly subjects used more than one drug, and the main drug class used was the cardiovascular agents. they are unaware of the side effects of the prescribed agents.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghassen Kharroubi ◽  
Ines Cherif ◽  
Leila Bouabid ◽  
Adel Gharbi ◽  
Aicha Boukthir ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Generally, seasonal influenza does not cause severe infection in healthy adults, but for the elderly, an infection can pose a serious health concern. Although several measures can help prevent influenza, vaccination is considered the most effective. This study aimed to assess influenza vaccine uptake among elderly with chronic diseases in Tunisia during the 2018–2019 influenza season, and to identify knowledge, attitudes and barriers associated with influenza vaccine uptake. Methods During influenza season of 2018–2019, we conducted a national cross-sectional study among elderly with chronic disease who were attending primary and secondary health care facilities in Tunisia. We collected data regarding practices, general knowledge and attitudes related to influenza and influenza vaccine, using a standardized questionnaire. A multivariate analysis by logistic regression was performed to assess the factors influencing willingness to receive influenza vaccine. Results Among the 1191 surveyed elderly, 19.4% (95%CI 14.1–21.9) were vaccinated during the 2018–2019 influenza season and 64.7% (61.9–67.3) expressed willingness to be vaccinated in the next season regardless of vaccination status in the 2018–2019 season. Previous vaccination in the 2018–2019 influenza season was the most significantly associated factor with willingness to receive influenza vaccine (adjusted OR = 16.5 [3.7–72.4]). Significant associations were also observed between knowledge of influenza severity for the elderly as well as for those with chronic diseases and willingness to be vaccinated (p < 0.01). Likewise, participants who were convinced by flu vaccine effectiveness and those who were not concerned about vaccine side effects were more likely to be vaccinated (p < 0.001). The main reason that may lead to vaccine acceptance was a doctor’s recommendation (41.1%), while the two main reasons that may lead to vaccine refusal were concerns about side effects (71.5%) and a belief that vaccine was ineffective in averting influenza illness (33.9%). Doctors were the most trusted source for information about influenza vaccine (91.5%). Conclusion Our study revealed low influenza vaccination coverage among Tunisian elderly with chronic diseases believed to be at higher risk for severe acute respiratory infections and death if infected with influenza. Treating physicians’ role in promoting influenza vaccination in this high-risk group seems to be crucial.


1988 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 386-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Bianchi ◽  
F. Maggiolo ◽  
H. Ohnmeiss

Age is not as important in predisposing to infections as are the associated problems peculiar to certain age groups. Factors such as the advanced age of the patients combined with the presence of chronic disease reduce their resistance to infection. This study comprises 212 elderly patients (aged 65–98 years) who were treated with 500–1000 mg/day ciprofloxacin for 1–18 days. Despite the high incidence of associated chronic diseases, microbiology showed that infections were eradicated in 88.5%. Clinical resolution occurred in 75.5% of patients and clinical failure occurred in 6.1%. Treatment was well tolerated, with clinical side-effects reported in only seven patients. Ciprofloxacin may be considered an effective and safe antimicrobial agent for the treatment of infections in the elderly.


2007 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 318-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Malone ◽  
Ryan M. Carnahan ◽  
Eric C. Kutscher

The use of antipsychotic medications in the elderly can be very complex and is ever changing. Consideration must be given to not only the physiologic and functional changes normally associated with age but also to the latest data on safety and adverse outcomes associated with using these agents. Because of new and changing information, this article will review the effects of aging, side effects of antipsychotic medications, and the current issues surrounding their use in elderly patients for those clinicians who are not specialists in this area of practice.


Author(s):  
Ilknur Ozkan ◽  
Feride Taskin Yilmaz ◽  
Azime Karakoc Kumsar ◽  
Kamile Uyar

Introduction: Physiological changes occurring with aging increase prevalence of chronic diseases in elderly individuals. This situation brings about difficulties in medication use in elderly individuals. This study was conducted to determine knowledge, attitude and behaviours regarding medication use in elderly with chronic diseases. Methods: Participants of this descriptive and cross-sectional study were 124 elderly individuals who were more than 65 years old, applied to Family Health Center in Yalova, Turkey between the dates of January- June 2018. Data were collected with data collection form including individual and disease information, medication use and knowledge, attitude and behaviours regarding medication use. Results: Almost half of the elderly individuals (44.4%) expressed that they used medicine three times a day and 40.3% of them expressed that they used medicine six times and more a day. When the information about medication use of elderly individuals is evaluated, 75% of them stated that they did not receive any information on drug use and 82.3% of them did not know the side effects of drugs. When the attitudes of the individuals were evaluated, it was found that 6.5% of them liked to use medication, 67.7% of them had no dose, and 46% of them had stopped using medication without asking the physician. When the behaviors of elderly individuals were evaluated, 19.4% of them didn’t use their medicines regularly, 46% of them discontinued their medication without asking their doctors, 82.3% of them didn’t know side effect of the medicines, 81.5% of them used medicines without doctor’s advice, 79.8% of them didn’t read medicine usage instructions before using medicines, 12.9% of them kept their medicines in their bags and 55.6% of them kept them in a cabinet. Conclusion: Significant problems such as lack of information about drug use in elderly individuals and self-medication use have been identified.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 913-920
Author(s):  
Fabiani L. R. Beal ◽  
Pedro R. Beal ◽  
Juliana R. Beal ◽  
Natan Carvalho-Neves ◽  
Octávio L. Franco ◽  
...  

Background: Arginine is considered a semi-essential amino acid in healthy adults and the elderly. This amino acid seems to improve the immune system, stimulate cell growth and differentiation, and increase endothelial permeability, among other effects. For those reasons, it has been theorized that arginine supplementation may be used as an adjuvant to conventional cancer therapy treatments. Objective: This review aims to evaluate the existing knowledge of the scientific community on arginine supplementation in order to improve the efficacy of current cancer treatment. Results: Despite the continued efforts of science to improve treatment strategies, cancer remains one of the greatest causes of death on the planet in adults and elderly people. Chemo and radiotherapy are still the most effective treatments but at the cost of significant side effects. Conclusion: Thus, new therapeutic perspectives have been studied in recent years, to be used in addition to traditional treatments or not, seeking to treat or even cure the various types of cancer with fewer side effects.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristoffer Bernhem ◽  
Jacopo M. Fontana ◽  
Daniel Svensson ◽  
Liang Zhang ◽  
Linnéa M. Nilsson ◽  
...  

AbstractActivation of the apoptotic pathway is a major cause of progressive loss of function in chronic diseases such as neurodegenerative and diabetic kidney diseases. There is an unmet need for an anti-apoptotic drug that acts in the early stage of the apoptotic process. The multifunctional protein Na+,K+-ATPase has, in addition to its role as a transporter, a signaling function that is activated by its ligand, the cardiotonic steroid ouabain. Several lines of evidence suggest that sub-saturating concentrations of ouabain protect against apoptosis of renal epithelial cells, a common complication and major cause of death in diabetic patients. Here, we induced apoptosis in primary rat renal epithelial cells by exposing them to an elevated glucose concentration (20 mM) and visualized the early steps in the apoptotic process using super-resolution microscopy. Treatment with 10 nM ouabain interfered with the onset of the apoptotic process by inhibiting the activation of the BH3-only protein Bad and its translocation to mitochondria. This occurred before the pro-apoptotic protein Bax had been recruited to mitochondria. Two ouabain regulated and Akt activating Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinases were found to play an essential role in the ouabain anti-apoptotic effect. Our results set the stage for further exploration of ouabain as an anti-apoptotic drug in diabetic kidney disease as well as in other chronic diseases associated with excessive apoptosis.


Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 508
Author(s):  
Sara Silva ◽  
António J. Almeida ◽  
Nuno Vale

Parkinson’s disease (PD) affects around ten million people worldwide and is considered the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, there is a higher risk incidence in the elderly population. The main PD hallmarks include the loss of dopaminergic neurons and the development of Lewy bodies. Unfortunately, motor symptoms only start to appear when around 50–70% of dopaminergic neurons have already been lost. This particularly poses a huge challenge for early diagnosis and therapeutic effectiveness. Actually, pharmaceutical therapy is able to relief motor symptoms, but as the disease progresses motor complications and severe side-effects start to appear. In this review, we explore the research conducted so far in order to repurpose drugs for PD with the use of nanodelivery systems, alternative administration routes, and nanotheranostics. Overall, studies have demonstrated great potential for these nanosystems to target the brain, improve drug pharmacokinetic profile, and decrease side-effects.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juopperi Samuli ◽  
Sund Reijo ◽  
Rikkonen Toni ◽  
Kröger Heikki ◽  
Sirola Joonas

Abstract Background Good physical capability is an important part of healthy biological ageing. Several factors influencing physical capability have previously been reported. Long-term reports on physical capability and the onset of clinical disorders and chronic diseases are lacking. Decrease in physical capacity has been shown to increase mortality. This study focuses on the prevalence of chronic diseases. The primary objective of the study was to reveal the association between physical capability and morbidity. Secondary objectives included the validity of self-reported physical capability and the association between baseline physical capability and mortality. Methods The OSTPRE (Kuopio Osteoporosis Risk Factor and Prevention Study) prospective cohort involved all women aged 47–56 years residing in the Kuopio Province, Finland in 1989. Follow-up questionnaires were mailed at five-year intervals. Physical capability questions were first presented in 1994. From these women, we included only completely physically capable subjects at our baseline, in 1994. Physical capability was evaluated with five scale self-reports at baseline and in 2014 as follows: completely physically capable, able to walk but not run, can walk up to 1000 m, can walk up to 100 m and temporarily severely incapable. The prevalences of selected chronic diseases, with a minimum prevalence of 10% in 2014, were compared with the change in self-reported physical capability. Additionally, associations between long-term mortality and baseline physical capability of the whole 1994 study population sample were examined with logistic regression. The correlation of self-reported physical capability with functional tests was studied cross-sectionally at the baseline for a random subsample. Results Our study population consisted of 6219 Finnish women with a mean baseline age of 57.0 years. Self-reported physical capability showed statistically significant correlation with functional tests. Cardiovascular diseases and musculoskeletal disorders show the greatest correlation with decrease of physical capability. Prevalence of hypertension increased from 48.7% in the full physical capability group to 74.5% in the “able to walk up to 100 metres” group (p < 0.001). Rheumatoid arthritis showed a similar increase from 2.1 to 7.4% between these groups. Higher baseline body mass index (BMI) decreases long-term capability (P < 0.001). Women reporting full physical capability at baseline had a mortality rate of 15.1%, in comparison to 48.5% in women within the “able to walk up to 100 m” group (p = 0.357). Mortality increased steadily with worsening baseline physical capability. Conclusions The results of this study show that chronic diseases, particularly cardiovascular and musculoskeletal disorders, correlate with faster degradation of physical capability in the elderly. Similar results are shown for increase in BMI. We also demonstrate that the risk of mortality over a 20-year period is higher in individuals with poor baseline physical capability.


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