INTRODUCTION: Anticholinergic drugs reduce the efficacy of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEI) and are inappropriate in elderly @entity1 . The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence rate of prescription AChEI drugs and anticholinergics in a Healthcare Area, to identify the affected @entity1 , and to inform the attending physicians, in order to evaluate the suitability of treatments. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional observational study of prevalence. @entity1 on treatment with AChEI and any anticholinergic drug in the first quarter of 2015 were selected. The review of Duran et al. was used as reference to identify anticholinergics, assigning a score to each drug according to its anticholinergic potency. Physicians were provided with a report about the interaction, the list of affected @entity1 , and recommendations. RESULTS: A total of 486 @entity1 were included in the study, representing 59.0% of total @entity1 with @entity195 in the Area. There were 66.0% @entity1 , and 86.8% of the @entity1 were older than 75 years, and with a mean of 9.2 drugs per @entity1 . The mean number of anticholinergic drugs was 1.6, and 38.3% of @entity1 were prescribed various anticholinergic drugs, with 23.9% on high potency anticholinergic drugs. A statistically significant association was found between taking an anticholinergic and AChEI concomitantly (P=.000; OR: 3.9). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of interactions between AChEI and anticholinergic drugs is relevant, considering that it affects vulnerable members of the population. Providing physicians with information about the interaction could help them make clinical decisions, and could improve @entity1 safety, as well as health outcomes.

[Risk/benefit assessment in the treatment of XXXX . Drug interactions].

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['women', 'Patients', 'patients', 'patient'] @entity195 :: ('MESH:D000544', 'Disease') :: ["Alzheimer's disease"]
@entity195 :: (MESH:D000544,Disease) :: ['Alzheimer's disease']
