The Beers Criteria list medications known to cause problems for older patients.
Named for Dr. Mark H. Beers, who in the late 1980s studied Boston-area nursing home residents, the list of drugs and effects was updated last year for the first time in a decade.
According to the criteria, some drugs and their possible side effects include:
Benzodiazepines (Lorazepam and diazepam, for example) — Can increase risk of delirium, falls, and car accidents.
NSAIDS (ibuprofen and naproxen, for example) — Increase risk of gastrointestinal bleeding
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Corticosteroids — Older adults at risk of delirium should avoid these.
Antipsychotics — Associated with risk of stroke and mortality in those with dementia.
The full list can be found at www.americangeriatrics.org