Table 1.
Overview of nine anticholinergic rating scales
| Scale | Basis for identification/scoring of anticholinergic drugs | Number of anticholinergic drugs included | Scoring | Grading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anticholinergic Activity Scale (AAS) | A, B, C | 99 | 0–4 |
M: 1–3, H: ≥ 4 |
| Anticholinergic Burden Classification (ABC) | A, C | 27 | 0–3 |
M: 1–2, H: ≥ 3 |
| Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden Scale (ACB) | A, B | 88 | 0–3 |
M: 1–2, H: ≥ 3 |
| Anticholinergic Drug Scale (ADS) | A, B, C | 117 | 0–3 |
M: 1–2, H: ≥ 3 |
| Anticholinergic Load Scale (ALS) | A, B | 49 | 0–3 |
M: 1–2, H: ≥ 3 |
| Anticholinergic Risk Scale (ARS) | A, B | 49 | 0–3 |
M: 1–2, H: ≥ 3 |
| Chew’s scale (Chew) | A, B, C | 107 | 0–4 |
M: 1–3, H: ≥ 4 |
| Clinician-Rated Anticholinergic Scale (CrAS) | A, B | 60 | 0–3 |
M: 1–2, H: ≥ 3 |
| Durán’s scale (Durán) | A, B | 100 | 0–2 |
M: 1, H: ≥ 2 |
M moderate burden, H high burden
A expert opinion, B literature review/earlier versions of scales, C serum anticholinergic activity/radioreceptor assay of anticholinergic activity