| dc.description.abstract | Background: In hospitalization in the area of internal medicine, most patients are associated to comorbidities, a multidisciplinary medical management, and an elevated number of hospitalization days, which increases the number of prescribed drugs.
General objective: To demonstrate the association between polypharmacy and possible medical interactions in the area of internal medicine in the hospital Jose Carrasco Arteaga, of the city of Cuenca in the year 2019.
Method and Materials: Analytical cross-sectional study. 379 clinical histories were analyzed using a data collection form; the application “Drug Interaction Checker” was used to identify possible medical interactions. The analysis was descriptive. For qualitative variables, frequency and percentages were used; for quantitative variables, the arithmetic average and standard deviation; to contrast the hypothesis, chi squared and T student, considering a significant p value < 0,05; and to control confusing variables, binary logistic regression was applied, obtaining Odds Ratio adjusted to is confidence intervals.
Results: The prevalence of polypharmacy was 55,1% and the prevalence of possible medical interactions was 57,5%. The significant variables that lead to medical interactions were sex (p=0,042), having a partner (p=0,013) and the number of medical specialties (p=0,000). An association between polypharmacy and possible medical interactions was found (p=0,000).
Conclusions: An association between polypharmacy and possible medical interactions exists. Being a woman, having a partner and ≥4 medical specialties involved in the medical management increased the possibility of medical interactions. | |
