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A merican G eriatrics S ociety Updated B eers C riteria for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults
Author(s) -
Christine M. Campanelli
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2012.03923.x
Subject(s) - medicine , beers criteria , geriatrics , psychological intervention , grading (engineering) , deprescribing , polypharmacy , delphi method , systematic review , medline , pharmacotherapy , family medicine , intensive care medicine , psychiatry , political science , law , engineering , statistics , mathematics , civil engineering
Potentially inappropriate medications ( PIM s) continue to be prescribed and used as first‐line treatment for the most vulnerable of older adults, despite evidence of poor outcomes from the use of PIM s in older adults. PIM s now form an integral part of policy and practice and are incorporated into several quality measures. The specific aim of this project was to update the previous B eers C riteria using a comprehensive, systematic review and grading of the evidence on drug‐related problems and adverse drug events ( ADE s) in older adults. This was accomplished through the support of The A merican G eriatrics S ociety ( AGS ) and the work of an interdisciplinary panel of 11 experts in geriatric care and pharmacotherapy who applied a modified D elphi method to the systematic review and grading to reach consensus on the updated 2012 AGS B eers C riteria. Fifty‐three medications or medication classes encompass the final updated C riteria, which are divided into three categories: potentially inappropriate medications and classes to avoid in older adults, potentially inappropriate medications and classes to avoid in older adults with certain diseases and syndromes that the drugs listed can exacerbate, and finally medications to be used with caution in older adults. This update has much strength, including the use of an evidence‐based approach using the I nstitute of M edicine standards and the development of a partnership to regularly update the C riteria. Thoughtful application of the C riteria will allow for (a) closer monitoring of drug use, (b) application of real‐time e‐prescribing and interventions to decrease ADE s in older adults, and (c) better patient outcomes.