Envelhecimento e medicamentos: um panorama de solicitações junto ao Ministério Público de um município do estado de São Paulo

Abstract

Introduction: The number of Brazilian elderly people has been increasing in recent decades. However, there is also a significant increase in spending on health and greater consumption of medicines. Guaranteeing the right of the elderly person in the public and private care network is currently expanding enormously to eliminate the possibility of negligence or the absence of the right to health. On the other hand, when the right is violated, one of the supporting agencies is the Public Ministry (MP), and especially in relation to the interface with the elderly and the need for pharmacological treatment (drugs) the MP has received numerous requests. Thus, this research characterized requests for support for pharmacological treatment with the Public Prosecutor's Office for the Elderly in a Brazilian city of the São Paulo state. Methodology: Descriptive, exploratory, retrospective study, based on documentary study fundamentals. Data collection was carried out using the @e-SAJ system (Justice Automation System). The analysis was based on the assumptions of simple statistics and thematic content. Results: A total of 153 cases were analyzed regarding the request for drugs by elderly people at the MP of Araraquara city from June 2015 to April 2016. The elderly median age requesting persons was 72 years, the majority composed of women, married and widows, with income up to 3 minimum wages and living in the central region of the city. The requests were related to the support of pharmacological treatments for diseases, with decreasing prevalence: Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, Neoplasms, Macular Degeneration, Arthrosis, Alzheimer, Stroke, Depression, Heart Failure and Dyslipidemia. The most requested drugs were: Lucentis Ranibizumab, Rivaroxibana (Xarelto), Eylea, Insulin, Carvedilol, Clopidogrel and Galvus Met. Discussion: The discussions and actions regarding health promotion and disease prevention policies are expanding and investing in long-term primary care can result in a reduction in spending on old age and avoid the processes with the MP, establishing a guarantee the right to health. The MP has a fundamental role in supervising and assisting in the construction of public policies that are effective and efficient to structure the Unified Health System and the support network for the elderly to improve social support and seek the eradication of discriminatory and violence.