Uso de psicofármacos por idosos institucionalizados: um estudo de revisão

Abstract

Between 1990 and 2019, more people worldwide were affected by mental health-related issues. Psychotropic drugs are commonly used to treat mental illnesses; however, in Brazil, there is an excessive and indiscriminate prescription of these medications. Additionally, the use of Potentially Inappropriate Medications (PIMs) for the elderly may expose patients to potential toxicity risks. This study aimed to identify the current context of psychotropic drug use among institutionalized elderly individuals, understanding the current usage patterns and characteristics of this drug class within this population group. It is an integrative literature review study, divided into three main methodological parts: study design, search strategy, and inclusion and exclusion criteria. Studies were selected from the following databases: PubMed, Scielo, Virtual Health Library, and Google Scholar. The inclusion criteria encompassed studies published in the last 10 years that addressed the study's theme and were available in full text, free of charge, in English, Portuguese, and Spanish. Exclusion criteria involved studies that did not address the theme, were incomplete, duplicated, or contained inconsistencies. A total of 364 studies were found, with 8 being selected for the final sample. Despite the significant number of studies related to psychotropic drugs and the elderly, the use of these medications in Long-Term Care Institutions remains underexplored. Several risk factors were identified, such as the use of potentially inappropriate medications, improper use of prescribed psychotropics, chronic diseases, dependency, and polypharmacy—the latter being the most relevant. The study highlights the need for further research on this specific topic. Based on this, the development of protocols and training programs for Long-Term Care Institutions for the Elderly (LTCIs) becomes feasible, using scientific studies as a more solid theoretical foundation.