Table 2.
Features of anticholinergic drug dispensed in the study population (n=16 172)
| Variable | n=16 172 | Cumulative AC exposure | |||
| <3 months 10 437 |
3–12 months 3385 |
1–3 years 1786 |
>3 years 564 |
||
| Number of different ACs dispensed | |||||
| 1 | 7690 (47%) | 62% | 21% | 22% | 12% |
| 2 | 4371 (27%) | 26% | 30% | 28% | 19% |
| 3 | 2246 (14%) | 9% | 24% | 21% | 23% |
| 4 | 1049 (7%) | 2% | 15% | 14% | 17% |
| ≥5 | 816 (5%) | 0% | 10% | 15% | 29% |
| ACB score* | |||||
| 1: possible AC effect | 12 220 (76%) | 84% | 66% | 57% | 42% |
| 2 or 3: moderate or severe AC effect | 822 (5%) | 6% | 3% | 5% | 4% |
| Both | 3130 (19%) | 10% | 31% | 38% | 54% |
| AC drug class* (ATC classification level) | |||||
| Antihistamines (R06A) | 7882 | 43% | 62% | 56% | 52% |
| Opioids (N02A) | 4983 | 30% | 33% | 30% | 33% |
| Alimentary tract and metabolism drugs (A) | 4713 | 27% | 34% | 29% | 34% |
| Anxiolytic drugs (N05B) | 4016 | 20% | 33% | 34% | 42% |
| Antidepressant drugs (N06A) | 2051 | 4% | 19% | 37% | 48% |
| Cardiovascular system drugs (C) | 950 | 2% | 7% | 20% | 31% |
| Antipsychotic drugs (N05A) | 318 | 0% | 2% | 6% | 18% |
| Other AC drugs | 3493 | 15% | 35% | 29% | 34% |
*At least one dispensed AC drug.
AC, anticholinergic drug; ACB, Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden scale; ATC, Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification system.