Quality assessment of drug use in the elderly: a review of available evaluation methods

摘要

> size="2" face="Verdana">The article presents different methods for the assessment of the pharmacotherapy appropriateness for the elderly, after the literature review within 1990 and 2003. In the 1990?s a great variety of methods was created and they are classified according to the criteria use in implicit, explicit and the ones that blend both implicit and explicit criteria. The advantages and disadvantages of each method are presented and it is observed that methods that use a criteria combination allow a better assessment, since they incorporate a greater number of evolved elements in the drug use process. The suitability and adaptation of these methods to the Brazilian reality and their incorporation in the evaluative practices in health can constitute an essential step to the rational drug use in the country.