Table 3.
The improving prescribing in the elderly tool (IPET). Modified with permission from Naugler and colleagues 41
| The following medications represent potentially inappropriate prescriptions in an elderly patient: |
| β-blocker and chronic obstructive airways disease |
| β-blocker and congestive heart failure |
| Calcium channel blocker (excluding amlodipine and feldopine) and congestive heart failure |
| Thiazide diuretic and gout |
| Long half-life benzodiazepines (chlordiazepoxide, chlorazepate, diazepam, flurazepam, clonazepam, nitrazepam) |
| Tricyclic antidepressant and glaucoma |
| Tricyclic antidepressant and heart block |
| Tricyclic antidepressant with active metabolites (imipramine, doxepin, or amitriptyline) |
| Methylphenidate for depression |
| Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugsa and peptic ulcer disease |
| Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and hypertension |
| Long term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for osteoarthritis |
| Anticholinergic drugs to treat side effects of antipsychotic medications |
| Long term diphenoxylate to treat diarrhea |
Notes:
a
Consider acetylsalicylic acid as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug only if the dose is greater than 1300 mg/day.