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Drug therapy, potential interactions and iatrogenesis as factors related to frailty in the elderly

Abstract Objective: to investigate the use of drugs, potential drug interactions and iatrogenesis, as factors associated with frailty. Method: an observational, cross-sectional, population-based study of elderly persons registered with the Family Health Strategies of the urban area of a municipal region in the south of Brazil was carried out. The sample was probabilistic and involved 554 elderly persons; and the proportional stratified sampling technique by FHS and gender was used. Data collection was performed in the home, with the gathering of information regarding sociodemographic characteristics and pharmacotherapeutic profile and the evaluation of frailty based on Fried et al. (2001). Results: medications were taken by 86.3% of the elderly and there was a prevalence of frailty of 63.0%. A total of 39.4% of the elderly were exposed to polypharmacy, 49.1% used potentially inappropriate medications and 52.2% were exposed to potential drug interactions, the most frequent being enalapril and metformin. An association between increased risk of frailty and the variables: polypharmacy; use of potentially inappropriate medications; potential drug interactions; more than two potential drug interactions with the presence or absence of potentially inappropriate medication was identified. Conclusion: an association was found between frailty and polypharmacy, the use of potentially inappropriate medication and the presence of drug interactions. The findings underscore the importance of the monitoring of drug therapy in this population group with a view to the early detection, prevention and resolution of iatrogenesis arising from the use of medicines.