Avoiding Adverse Drug Withdrawal Events When Stopping Unnecessary Medications According to the STOPPFrail Criteria.

Abstract

To provide clinicians with information about avoiding adverse drug withdrawal events (ADWEs) when discontinuing unnecessary medications as per the STOPPFrail criteria. Searches of MEDLINE (1970-June 2020), the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (through June 2020), Google Scholar (through June 2020). Reviews and original studies of ADWEs. Tapering protocols for specific drugs/ classes from randomized controlled deprescribing trials. Six drug classes were identified as being high risk for physiological ADWEs. The occurrence of ADWEs is rare in comparison to adverse drug reactions in older adults. Few drugs/classes have been reported to have physiological ADWEs with abrupt discontinuation. For these we provide information about tapering protocols and symptom monitoring to avoid ADWEs.