• Giancarlo Lucchetti, Alessandra Lamas Granero Lucchetti, Sueli Luciano Pires, and Milton Luiz Gorzoni.
• Geriatrics and Gerontology Sector, Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. g.lucchetti@yahoo.com.br
• Sao Paulo Med J. 2011 Jan 6; 129 (1): 172217-22.

Context And ObjectiveFarmácia Dose Certa is a program available in the State of São Paulo that is a national reference for providing drugs free of charge to the population. Elderly people receiving care deserve special attention regarding drugs that are appropriate for their age group. The objective was to assess the drugs in the program considered to be inappropriate for the elderly.Design And SettingDescriptive study evaluating free drug distribution in the State of São Paulo, Brazil.MethodsFollowing the criteria proposed by Beers and Fick (drugs or drug classes that should be avoided among elderly people, independent of the diagnosis or clinical condition, because of the high risk of side effects and because other, safer drugs are available), the drugs in the Farmácia Dose Certa program that might be inappropriate for elderly people and the levels of evidence for each drug included were assessed.ResultsAmong the available drugs, 10 (25.6%) were included within the Beers-Fick criteria. The drugs selected were: amitriptyline, cimetidine, diazepam, digoxin, fluoxetine, methyldopa, nifedipine, promethazine, thioridazine and ferrous sulfate.ConclusionThe list of drugs available within the Farmácia Dose Certa program may be considered appropriate for the general population, but not completely for the elderly population. Adjusting this list to the pharmacological aspects of aging will reduce the risks of drug interactions, falls, mental confusion and excessive sedation that result from drugs that are considered inappropriate for consumption by elderly people.

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