MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION ANALYSIS AS A DECISION-SUPPORT TOOL FOR DRUG EVALUATION: A PILOT STUDY IN A PHARMACY AND THERAPEUTICS COMMITTEE SETTING.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to develop and to assess a specific Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) framework to evaluate new drugs in an hospital pharmacy and therapeutics committee (P&TC) setting.

Methods: A pilot criteria framework was developed based on the EVIDEM (Evidence and Value: Impact on DEcisionMaking) framework, together with other relevant criteria, and assessed by a group of P&TC's members. The weighting of included criteria was done using a 5-point weighting technique.

[A review of the medication in polymedicated elderly with vascular risk: a randomised controlled trial].

Objective: To analyse the effectiveness of a medication review based on intervention directed at improving the appropriateness of drug treatments according to the established guidelines, as well as blood pressure, serum lipid and blood glucose control in elderly patients on multiple medication, and cardiovascular disease or high risk of cardiovascular disease.

Design: A randomised controlled trial with blind evaluation.

Setting: Fourteen Primary Health Care centres in Andalusia

Participants: A total of 323 patients older than 65 on polypharmacy and cardiovascular disease or high risk of cardiovascular disease.

[The use and suitability of absorbent products for urinary incontinence in a primary health care district].

Objective: To calculate the use of absorbent products in patients with urinary incontinence in the Seville District Primary Health Care, and to compare the use over time, and to calculate the health costs and their variation during the period 2005-2009.

Method: A cross-sectional and descriptive observational study was conducted on the use of urinary incontinence absorbents in the Seville District Primary Health Care, from 2005 and 2009. Patients registered as using urinary incontinence absorbents (UIA) during that period were included as the study population.

[Prevalence of multiple medication and cardiovascular risk in patients over 65 years].

Objective: To describe the prevalence of multiple medication in patients over 65 years.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Sevilla and Jerez-Costa North-West Primary Health Care Districts.

[Quality of the antiretrovirals drug interactions database].

Background And Objective: To identify antiretrovirals drug interaction databases (ADID) and evaluate its structural quality.

Material And Method: A literature search in Medline and a grey literature search were conducted. The identified ADID underwent scrutiny based on exclusion criteria and structural quality (4 minimum quality criteria: stratification by level of severity, classification by level of evidence, bibliographic data, description of the clinical management) and 11 criteria that provide the relative importance (specific weight).

Pharmacoepidemiological patterns of antidepressant prescribing in primary care in rural Spain (1995-1999).

Background: The prescribing of psychoactive drugs is increasing progressively in western countries. The new psychiatric care modalities, in contact with the primary care centres and closer to the population, might be determining this increase in a major way.

Methods: Official data of prescription were collected from the Public Primary Care Department of Pharmacy, to monitor the use of antidepressants during a five year period in a rural health area (140,359 inhabitants).