Individual Electronic Pill Dispenser - ePillbox

Abstract

The number of people aged over 65 has increased considerably in the last 40 years. This increase in longevity has led to the emergence of various diseases related to age and the increased prevalence of chronic pathologies. The vast majority of this elderly population, with ages between 60 and 90 years, has multiple medications. The effects of polypharmacy in older adults have high risks of drug interactions and adverse reactions and decrease the adherence to medication. For example, in the case of Diabetes Mellitus, some studies suggest that 50% of patients do not adhere to medication regimens and that only one third of them have adequate adhesion to therapy. However, non-adherence to therapy is a significant problem for patients, as it decreases the effectiveness of treatment and increases the risk of developing complications, also increasing the human, social and economic cost of disease. This paper presents a new device, called ePillbox, which is the result of the work of a multidisciplinary team, pharmacy competences, electronic, automation and mechanical engineering competences, and also design project expertise. Additionally it is necessary to refer the many contributions used in the article, to protect intellectual property. The device features an innovative design and technological improvements (that may be patented) in relation to existing devices, for which reason we will only describe the generic, technological and functional aspects of the ePillbox.