Pathophysiology of cystic fibrosis and drugs used in associated digestive tract diseases

Cystic fibrosis(CF)causes chronic infections in the respiratory tract and alters the digestive tract.This paper reviews the most important aspects of drug treatment and changes in the digestive tract of patients with CF.This is a review of the literature,emphasizing the discoveries made within the last 15 years by analyzing scientific papers published in journals indexed in the Scientific Electronic Library Online,Sciences Information,United States National Library of Medicine and Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online databases,both in English and Portuguese,using the key words:cystic fibrosis,medication,therapeutic,absorption,digestion.Randomized,observational,experimental,and epidemiological clinical studies were selected,among others,with statistical significance of 5%.This review evaluates the changes found in the digestive tract of CF patients including pancreatic insufficiency,constipation and liver diseases.Changes in nutritional status are also described.Clinical treatment,nutritional supplementation and drug management were classified in this review as essential to the quality of life of CF patients,and became available through public policies for monitoring and treating CF.The information gathered on CF and a multi professional approach to the disease is essential in the treatment of these patients.

Drug Utilization in Homes for the Aged in Brasilia, Brazil

This paper aims to describe the socioeconomic and epidemiological profile, as well as the standards of medicine consumption in a group of 154 elderly people from five homes for the aged in Brasilia, in order to expand the understanding about some characteristics and individual needs of this population and its influence on the quality of drug’s therapy. Data were collected between January and December of 2007, it was used a questionnaire adapted from Dader’s method (2002) and a pharmacotherapeutic follow up method and it was responded by the elders and caregivers. Data were supplemented with information from medical records and prescriptions available in the institutions. The studied group has an average age of 74.6 years, living in their current homes for about 5.4 years and the group consists mainly of men with preserved cognitive status. The members of the group have low monthly income, low education level and are sedentary. They consume 4 - 5 drugs and are affected mainly by cardiovascular and psychiatric diseases. Results suggest that low monthly income, low education level, the prevalence of sedentary lifestyle, elders with compromised cognitive status, the increasing number of chronic diseases and the high consumption of drugs in the researched group may be important factors for the emergence or injury drugs-related problems (DRP) as non-adherence to treatment, medication errors, drug interactions and adverse drug reactions compromising the quality of medication therapy. This study points out the necessity of including a pharmacotherapeutic follow-up for the elderly people in order to minimize such problems and provide better quality of life for patients.