090 – More on Avoiding Risky Medications & on Using the 2019 AGS Beers Criteria

In This Episode:

Dr. K provides more information on what’s included in the 2019 update of the American Geriatrics Society AGS Beers Criteria® for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults, with a focus on which drugs she thinks are most important to avoid. She also addresses which medications are associated with falls, cognitive impairment, and other key conditions. She covers:

• How the 2019 Beers Criteria is organized
• Options for accessing the 2019 update
• Which medications should be avoided in people with memory problems, per the Beers Criteria
• Which drugs to avoid or use with caution if you have a history of falls or fractures
• Other common risky medications to be aware of
• What to know about opioid painkillers and the 2019 Beers Criteria
• 5 things you can do to be proactive about medications safety in aging
• Where to find consumer brochures that can help you discuss deprescribing for the most common risky medications

Related episodes: 

088- Interview: Avoiding Inappropriate Prescribing in Aging & What to Know About the Beers Criteria

073- Anticholinergic Medications & Protecting Brain Health

031- Choosing the Safest Over-the-Counter Painkiller in Aging

046- Interview: Deprescribing & Reducing Risky Medications in Aging

034- Preventing Falls: 10 Types of Medication to Reconsider

Related Resources:

• Better Health While Aging
  • Medications Older Adults Should Avoid or Use with Caution: The American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria (2019 Update)
  • 4 Types of Brain-Slowing Medication to Avoid if You’re Worried About Memory
  • How to Choose the Safest Over-the-Counter Painkiller for Older Adults
  • Deprescribing: How to be on Less Medication for Healthier Aging
  • Preventing Falls: 10 Types of Medications to Review if You’re Concerned About Falling
  • 5 Step Process to Prepare for a Medication Review
• Healthinaging.org
  • Medications Older Adults Should Avoid or Use With Caution
  • 10 Medications Older Adults Should Avoid Or Use With Caution
  • What to do & What to Ask if a Medication You Take is Listed in the AGS Beers Criteria List
• Canadian Deprescribing Network
• The EMPOWER Brochures (from the Canadian Deprescribing Network):
  • Anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs)
  • Antipsychotic medication as sleeping pills or for Dementia
  • Medications for allergies and itchiness (First-generation antihistamines)
  • Medication for type-2 diabetes (Sulfonylurea diabetes medication)
  • Sleeping pills & anti-anxiety medication (Sedative-hypnotic medication, such as Ativan, Ambien, and others)
  • Stomach pills for acid reflux (Proton-pump inhibitors)
• Daily Aspirin Therapy: Understand the Benefits & Risks