Medicines prescribed to the elderly in a city in southern Brazil and the Municipal Medicines List

The aim of this study was to describe the medicines prescribed to elderly residents of Florianopolis, Santa Catarina State, Brazil, in the 30 days prior to the interview, and to compare them with the Municipal Medicines List (REMUME). A cross-sectional population-based household survey was conducted, in which 1,705 elderly respondents reported having used a total of 5,458 prescription drugs meeting the study criteria and corresponding to 374 different active ingredients. The most frequently used medicines were for the cardiovascular system, among which the most prevalent pharmacological class was lipid-lowering drugs (although there were no examples of this drug class in the REMUME list). Despite some gaps, the majority of the drugs prescribed in Florianopolis coincided with the REMUME list. Prescriptions filled through the Unified National Health System were in greater conformity with the REMUME list.