Social Profile of Asthma Patients Served by the Pharmacy of the 9th Regional Health Division of Paraná

Abstract

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by inflammation of the lower airways, leading to reversible narrowing of the bronchi. The main symptoms that commonly manifest include wheezing, chest discomfort, and dyspnea, among others. Treatment is used to control the disease, as there is no cure for asthma. The disease is controlled through the use of corticosteroids, which reduce inflammation of the lower airways, and short- and long-acting B2-adrenergic agonists, which relax the bronchi. To present the profile of patients with asthma treated at the pharmacy of the 9th Regional Health Department of Paraná. The methodology employed was based on the collection of data from treated patients, in accordance with the Ministry of Health’s clinical protocol and therapeutic guidelines for asthma. The data were obtained from reports extracted from the Exceptional Medications System (Sismedex), which is part of the Specialized Pharmaceutical Care Component of the Unified Health System (SUS). The variables collected were sex, age group, and duration of treatment in the 9th Regional Health District. A total of 460 patients were included in the study, predominantly female. When broken down by duration of treatment, an increase in treatment adherence was observed, as 21.5% (n=99) had started treatment less than one year prior. Regarding age group, patients in their sixties were the most common, accounting for 57% (n=262) of patients. The study indicated that the disease is more prevalent among patients in their sixties, and adherence to asthma treatment is more common among women.