Evidence of association between the use of drugs and community-dwelling older people frailty: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND The scientific literature has shown that an association between polypharmacy and frailty exists. However, few studies have also considered drug interactions and the use of potentially inappropriate medications. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association between the use of drugs and frailty among community-dwelling older people. DESIGN AND SETTING Cross-sectional study carried out among 580 older people in Uberaba (MG). METHODS Data were collected at these older people's homes using instruments validated in Brazil. Descriptive, bivariate and binary logistic regression analyses were performed (P < 0.05). RESULTS Most of these individuals were classified as pre-frail (55.7%), while 13.1% were frail. It was found that 31.7% of them presented polypharmacy, 41.7% had drug interactions and 43.8% were using potentially inappropriate medications. In the initial model, polypharmacy (odds ratio, OR = 1.91; confidence interval, CI = 1.27-2.86) and use of potentially inappropriate medications (OR = 2.45; CI = 1.68-3.57) increased the chance that these older people would be pre-frail or frail. In the final adjusted model, use of potentially inappropriate drugs remained associated with the outcome (OR = 2.26; CI = 1.43-3.57). CONCLUSION Use of potentially inappropriate medications was the independent variable that explained the occurrence of frailty in a representative sample of community-dwelling older adults.