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OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of drug therapy problems among older adults in Primary Health Care, and to analyze the factors associated with their identification in the initial patient assessment, carried out by pharmacists offering medication therapy management services. METHODS: A cross-sectional study conducted with data from 758 older adults followed up in medication therapy management services in Primary Health Care in the cities of Belo Horizonte, Betim, and Lagoa Santa (MG, Brazil). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the factors associated with identification of four or more drug therapy problems in the initial clinical assessment. RESULTS: A total of 1,683 drug therapy problems were identified, 73.6% of older patients had at least one problem. The most frequent problems were nonadherence (23.0%) and the need for additional drug therapy (18.0%). Polypharmacy, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, heart failure, and aged 75 years or older remained positively and statistically associated with identification of four or more drug therapy problems (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: There is a high frequency of problems related to medication use among older users of Primary Health Care, and the medication therapy management services should be prioritized to the older patients, who present with polypharmacy, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, heart failure, and age ≥ 75 years, since they are more likely to have more drug therapy problems.

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Abstract This study aimed to describe potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use according to the Beers criteria among older adults followed in a comprehensive medication management (CMM) service, the pharmacists´ interventions, and the clinical outcomes of PIM use. All older adults in a CMM service delivered in the Brazilian public primary care system were included in the study (n = 389). Two methodological approaches were developed: (I) cross-sectional - prevalence of PIM use and associated factors were identified (univariate analysis - Pearson's chi-square; multivariate - logistic regression); (II) documental analysis of the negative clinical outcomes potentially associated with PIM use and pharmacists' interventions. The prevalence of PIM use was 48.3%, and it was independently and positively associated with the use of ≥ 5 drugs. For 21.3% of PIMs, a potential negative clinical outcome was identified. The most common negative clinical outcome was hypotension (35.1% of the negative outcomes), fractures or diagnosis of osteoporosis (21.1%), and hypoglycemia (14.0%). For most of them (78.9%), an intervention was performed to mitigate harm or discontinue use. A high prevalence of PIM was detected and was associated with polypharmacy. A significant proportion of PIM showed potential negative clinical outcomes that were identified by clinical pharmacists, and the majority of pharmacists' interventions aimed at its mitigation or deprescription. Overall, our findings reinforce the potential of CMM services for reducing PIM use and the occurrence of negative outcomes.

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OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical impact of a comprehensive medication management (CMM) service in a Brazilian primary health-care setting. METHODS: A quasi-experimental study has been carried out between July 2014 and November 2016 with patients who received the service in the primary care setting of a Brazilian city (n = 1057). Factors associated with drug therapy problems (DTP) detection in the initial assessment were evaluated by performing univariate and multivariate analyzes. To evaluate the impact of the CMM service, a linear regression model was constructed from the difference between the initial and final values of the clinical and laboratory parameters adjusted by multiple variables. RESULTS: A total of 1642 DTPs was identified, the most prevalent one being "nonadherence" (31.9%) and the "need for additional drug therapy" (22.9%). The use of 5 or more medications and the presence of 3 or more diseases were positively associated with the identification of 3 or more DTPs during the initial assessment. Even after multiple adjustments, a statistically significant reduction has been observed in the values of glycated hemoglobin, systolic blood pressure, low-density cholesterol, and total cholesterol. CONCLUSION: The CMM service contributed to the resolution of DTP and showed positive clinical impact in primary health care in the studied setting.

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