ANALYSIS OF THE DISPOSAL OF DISUSED AND/OR EXPIRED PHARMACEUTICAL WASTE: HIGH DISPOSAL OF DIURETICS

Abstract

Introduction: The consumption of medicines has increased significantly in recent decades. Pharmaceuticals and their unaltered metabolites can affect humans and animals when inserted into the environment. Nowadays pharmaceutical products are often used in health, agriculture and aquaculture. The disposal of expired or unused medicines presents a risk to human health, considering that the main forms of disposal are still common garbage and sewage networks. Given the challenges that these issues pose to human and environmental health, this study was carried out. Objectives: To analyze the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the home disposal of unused and/or expired pharmaceutical waste of users of the family health program in the municipality of Goiatuba, GO. Methodology: The collection of medicines stored in the homes of program users took place in seven ESF's in the city of Goiatuba, located in the southern mesoregion of the state of Goiás, from September 2021 to April 2022. The medications were collected through a container made with a cardboard box covered with kraft paper. The data obtained were coded, stored and tabulated in an Excel database. In addition, a narrative review was carried out to compose and contrast the data obtained from the collection of unused and/or expired pharmaceutical waste in the municipality of Goiatuba-GO. Results: 76 different pharmaceutical classes were counted, with the pharmaceutical class most discarded by the population being diuretics, with 416 pills. The 10 main classes discarded were: diuretics, antilipemics, ARA II, ACEA, antidepressant, antidiabetic, anesthetic, hypoglycemic, beta-blocker. Conclusion: The data found on the main pharmaceutical classes discarded in health centers through collection for research were shown to be in line with the data quantified in the municipality of Goiatuba-GO, highlighting the ACE inhibitors and ARBs, along with the diuretics.