Table 2.
Potentially inappropriate medications identified by 2012 Beers Criteria (n=1864)
| Type of medication | Number of drugs (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Drugs to be avoided independent of diagnoses or conditions | ||
| Anticholinergics (excludes TCAs) | ||
| Dexchlorpheniramine | 24 | (1.3) |
| Diphenhydramine | 13 | (0.7) |
| Promethazine | 21 | (1.1) |
| Antispasmodics - scopolamine | 36 | (1.9) |
| Cardiovascular | ||
| Alpha1 blockers – doxazosin | 3 | (0.2) |
| Alpha agonists | ||
| Clonidine | 28 | (1.5) |
| Metildopa | 14 | (0.8) |
| Antiarrhythmic drugs – amiodarone | 145 | (7.8) |
| Digoxin > 0.125 mg/day | 34 | (1.8) |
| Nifedipine | 7 | (0.4) |
| Spironolactone > 25 mg/day | 64 | (3.4) |
| Central Nervous System | ||
| Tertiary TCAs | ||
| Amitriptyline | 28 | (1.5) |
| Clomipramine | 1 | (0.1) |
| Antipsychotics - first and second generation | 155 | (8.3) |
| Barbiturates - phenobarbital | 13 | (0.7) |
| Benzodiazepines | 156 | (8.4) |
| Endocrine | ||
| Insulin, sliding scale | 131 | (7.0) |
| Gastrointestinal | ||
| Metoclopramide | 534 | (28.6) |
| Mineral oil | 125 | (6.7) |
| Pain medications | ||
| Non-COX-selective NSAIDs, oral | 22 | (1.2) |
| Drugs to be avoided considering disease or syndrome | ||
| In heart failure | ||
| diltiazem | 1 | (0.1) |
| In delirium | ||
| H2-receptor antagonist | 3 | (0.2) |
| corticosteroids | 4 | (0.2) |
| benzodiazepines | 3 | (0.2) |
| TCAs | 1 | (0.1) |
| In dementia and cognitive impairment | ||
| antipsychotics | 2 | (0.1) |
| anticholinergic | 1 | (0.1) |
| H2 antagonists | 1 | (0.1) |
| benzodiazepines | 1 | (0.1) |
| History of falls or fractures | ||
| TCAs | 1 | (0.1) |
| benzodiazepines | 2 | (0.1) |
| In Parkinson’s disease | ||
| metoclopramide | 1 | (0.1) |
| Drugs to be used with caution in older adults | ||
| Aspirin for primary prevention of cardiac events in adults ≥ 80 years old | 7 | (2.4) |
| Carbamazepine | 10 | (3.5) |
| SSRIs | 26 | (9.0) |
| Vasodilators | 246 | (85.1) |
TCAs, tricyclic antidepressants; COX, cyclooxygenase; NSAIDs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; SSRIs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors