Drug-Related Problems Identified in a Sample of Portuguese Institutionalised Elderly Patients and Pharmacists' Interventions to Improve Safety and Effectiveness of Medicines.

Background: Currently, people live longer but often with poor quality of life. The decrease in healthy life-years is partly attributable to the institution of polypharmacy to treat various comorbidities.

Objectives: The objectives of the study were to determine the prevalence and nature of drug-related problems (DRPs) in polypharmacy elderly patients residing in nursing homes and to test the acceptability of a pharmacist's intervention.