Clipping of news on Brazilian Culture, Law and Citizenship
11/21/2016
This article was translated by an automatic translation system, and was therefore not reviewed by people.
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Today, the issue is something we see routinely, but often we do not consider as a problem: the indiscriminate use of medicines, vitamins and pills by the elderly. Each year, the Census shows an advance in the number of people who have already surpassed 60 years in Brazil (according to IBGE, currently 7.4% of the population is elderly, which represents approximately 14 million people).
Of that total, 80% use at least one drug a day, and 50% more than one. This phenomenon is known as polypharmacy, the elderly consume one medicine for disease A, another for disease B, two for disease C, etc. The major problem is the interactions between these drugs, in which one decreases or cancels the function of the other, or also the drug intoxication in which the individual may even die.
Senior woman reads prescription medication bottle. Focus on face.
The line is very tenuous between the benefits that the remedies bring and their adverse reactions and side effects. We have to remember the physiology of the body of the elderly, in which there is less water circulating, making it difficult to absorb the drug. In addition, the blood flow in the liver is lower, decreasing the metabolism of the tablets.
Therefore, the same drugs that can prolong the life of the elderly may also decrease the quality of this life, so the irrational consumption needs to be tackled.
In Brazil there is a disrespect on the part of some trades, that are not aligned with the sanitary vigilance rules. In recent years, the news has been showing wheat-based or sugar-based medicines that have no effect whatsoever, making it just a placebo for the patient.
Often there is no marketing authorization for some pharmaceutical products, such as amphetamine which, even though it is a banned substance in the country, can easily be bought without a prescription. Other drugs are still sold in the test phase or without proof of efficiency.
Pills macro
This conduct is not interesting to the user who is in the hands of drug manufacturers. Incidentally, strong marketing over pharmaceutical industries, drugstores, and drug labels is absurd and ceased to be health to become profitable trade with that false delusion that the substance will bring physical and mental well-being, further increasing self- Unconscious use.
The elderly use the drugs to treat depression, pain, sleep induction and anxiety or stress relief without any medical guidance or using the populace to choose the next box. Thus, the person becomes addicted to medications and for any symptom or discomfort are two or three tablets. But how to treat this craze?
In society there is a large portion that does not agree with the treatment of old addicts, many say they do not want to be helped or they are in the last stage of life. We all deserve treatment regardless of age, color, creed or social class. It is time consuming and requires a lot of willpower. In Brazil there are several reports of people who have overcome hypochondria and drug addiction with the help of physical activity and change in eating habits. We need only to realize that this disease exists and to fight it with force and determination.
Source: Jatobá Universe
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This article was translated by an automatic translation system, and was therefore not reviewed by people.