Alcoolismo na terceira idade – revisão de literatura

Abstract

The abuse of alcohol and other drugs are certainly a very serious problem of contemporary society. It is considered a public health problem whose approach is the responsibility of all levels of care SUS. Alcohol is the psychoactive substance most commonly used by mankind since ancient times. In the decade of the 70th World Health Organisation defines alcohol dependence as a set of symptoms resulting from severe and ongoing abuse. Currently it is considered alcohol abuse and other compulsive drug use and frequent of these substances, followed by the difficulty that presents the user to control their consumption, which can cause lack of interest in other activities causing damage to their emotional, social and professional. The consumption of alcohol, tobacco and drugs are often encouraged by the media and keeping the availability of illegal drugs to individuals regardless of age even though they provide clear damage to health, quality of life and social life. A worrying factor for the team is the abuse of alcohol by the elderly because they interfere in the treatment of diseases and can also cause other diseases, and those who are not hypertensive or diabetic patients may be given that alcoholism is a predisposing factor for such diseases. Another factor is that consumption can aggravate medical conditions common among the elderly. Also with age, there is a tendency to increase the intake of medication, and the addition of medications with alcohol can have harmful consequences. This study aimed to review the literature on alcoholism in the elderly to subsidize further the development of an intervention plan. We used the method of literature review-narrative as it enables you to access articles published about the proposed theme. The results showed that with a gradual increase in the elderly Brazilian population means an increase in demand resulting from the ESF for diseases of the aging process and the severity of the consequences of alcohol consumption by the elderly in both the physical impairment, mental, economic, social and family life.It was also clarified that the current situation requires intervention programs for the elderly, providing a better quality of life for them. And the attention of health nurse, doctor and psychologist, and others, will help these people in order to decrease or abster to alcohol consumption.