O papel do farmacêutico nas intoxicações medicamentosas em crianças e idosos: uma revisão integrativa

Abstract

Introduction: Drug poisoning can be related to several factors such as self-medication, inadequate prescription, error in administration, abuse, among others. There is a high number of poisonings caused by self-medication, with children and the elderly being the most susceptible to these harmful effects. The demand for a qualified professional such as a pharmacist to clarify patients' doubts about medications is still very low, so this study aims to reflect on the role of the pharmaceutical professional in this public health issue, especially in the context of children and elderly people because they have a certain propensity to harm from self-medication. Method: Consists of an integrative literature review. The bibliographic search was carried out in some virtual databases, in books and specialized websites. Results: The situations in which the highest incidents occur in the elderly are suicide attempts, therapeutic use and habitual use, respectively. In children, they are accidental use, attempted suicide and administration error, in that order. Among the various clinical responsibilities of the pharmacist are promoting the rational use of medicines and improving pharmacotherapy in order to guarantee established results to improve the individual's quality of life, whether in public or private services in order to minimize these intoxications. Conclusion: The pharmacist's role goes beyond dispensing medications, it involves the prevention of drug poisoning through information provided to the patient, pharmaceutical intervention and participation in multidisciplinary teams. Together with public policies on the rational use of medicines together with training for pharmacists, they minimize the chances of drug poisoning in the general population, especially in children and the elderly.