SELF-MEDICATION IN THE ELDER POPULATION

In order to discuss the effects and the more-used meds during self-medication, it is critical to
comprehend to what extent this concept goes and what it exactly means. Self-medication is
understood as the act of self-diagnosing according to the symptoms experienced and then
proceeds to take medicines without consulting a doctor’s professional opinion or any formal
medical prescription.

In this case, it is critical to consider elements like age. This could be a risk factor that can increase
the level of danger in self-medication as older people, for instance, are more prone to illnesses
that can be quite perilous without a good life style and proper medication when needed. It is quite
usual to see seniors taking more than one med at the same time; this is known as polypharmacy,
which is driven by the plethora of conditions to treat. But this action is advisable to be done under
a strict supervision, considering that every medicine has its own components and active
ingredients that being mixed with others can cause adverse reactions. This is why is imperative
that older people remain under medical control and keep an adequate prescription regarding
consumption of combined drugs.

Researches carried out by The Ministry Of Social Protection, Saldarriaga Concha Foundation , and
the university of La Sabana have shown that the most common medical conditions in old
population are cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic disorders and diabetes. This implies that
the most used meds by this group are psychotropic and anticholinergic agents usually used in case
of diabetes and cardio-vascular conditions.

Based on the above, it is certain to say that the meds we are going to discuss next are Losartan
(hypertension), Glibenclamida (antidiabetic), and Enalapri (Hypertension), medicines that are
accessible to the general public in different pharmacies in Barrancabermeja and have not been
encouraged by any campaign before to use responsibly.