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Souza E.D.S.1, Chiapeta A.V.1, Soares Gusman G.2
1Faculdade de Ciências Biologicas e da Saude - FACISA, Physiotherapy, Viçosa - MG, Brazil, 2Faculdade de Ciências Biologicas e da Saude - FACISA, Pharmacy, Viçosa - MG, Brazil
Background: Aging is an irreversible process of all living beings and, the great challenge that we are already facing is how to live longer and healthier. In Brazil, the number of older people is increasing constantly and it will reach the maximum peak in 2050, around 66.5 million. By definition, senescence is a synonym of biological aging with a gradual deterioration of some physiological functions. Several diseases related to senescence can directly affect the quality of life around the world, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, stroke, depression, hypertension, metabolic disorders and fall. These are considered the major causes of elderly people impairment, resulting in higher costs to the Brazilian public health. Besides these physiological disorders, the use of medicines can affect directly the quality of life of elderly people, and some studies have already reported the correlation between drugs and injuries caused by fall. Therefore, it is necessary to understand deeply the correlation between the most common groups of prescribed medicine and the risk of fall in the oldest Brazilian population, in order to improve public health politics as well as quality of life.
Purpose: This study aimed to investigate any probable relationship between the most common groups of prescribed medicine, their interactions and concentrations, with the risk of fall injuries in elderly people in Brazil.
Methods: This study began with a group of 40 adults above 60 years-old, patients of the physiotherapy clinic at UNIVIÇOSA College in Viçosa, MG, Brazil. Efficacy Scale of International Falls-Questionnaire (FES-I) and three other tests, Time up and go (TUG), Berg Balance Scale item 8 and Tandem Walking Test, were applied to this group. Questionnaires of medication and quality of life (SF-36) were applied to 15 people from this group in order to provide a connection between the medicine prescription and quality of life. The statistical analysis and proportion test were performed using R software version 3.2.2.
Results: The analysis of factors indicated that risk of fall was directly related to the amount of medications used by patients. The medicines were grouped in categories: 27% of antihypertensive; 6% of anti-cholesterolemic; 17% cardiovascular properties; 10% muscle soreness; 12.5% central nervous system agents, 8.3% vitamins and 16.6% other target action. When the risk of fall was compared to each category, the most significant difference proportion was observed when related to medicine that has antihypertensive and other cardiovascular properties, which is the opposite reported by literature. Also, significant correlation was observed for central nervous system agents.
Conclusion(s): Despite previous author shave reported the protection of fall injuries by antihypertensive drugs, it was observed in this study an opposite behavior, including all drugs related to the cardiovascular system. Therefore, there is a need to investigate deeply and carefully this class of drugs and their interactions.
Implications: The medicines association with injurious falls is a particular concern, since the risk of fall is highly increased in elderly people, and, may cause severe damages. A deep understanding about this correlation will support physicians and patients to make efficient decisions about treatment, improving the health system.
Funding acknowledgements: Thanks to Univicosa research funding and for the scholarship support.
Topic: Older people
Ethics approval: This work was analyzed and considered aproved by Ethics Committee of FACISA in the city of Viçosa, MG , Brazil
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
