Potentially inappropriate medication prescribing in older adults: American geriatric society updated beers criteria journey

Abstract

The present manuscript highlights Beers guidelines till date and puts them at a single platform to enable the physicians, academicians, and patients for the safe and timely use of medicines. Potentially inappropriate medications (PIM) are medications in which adverse risks exceed its health benefits. Complex and multiple comorbidities in older adults make them use multiple drugs that further become a reason for exclusion from randomized clinical trials (RCT). Hence, no set guidelines or RCT-based scientific shreds of evidence are available to support prescription decisions. PIM has become an increasingly common problem in older adults; hence the American Geriatric Society updated Beers criteria; the most crucial strategy to check its use/misuse. The Beers criteria have been formulated in 1991 with the help of validated and appropriate screening tools that explain the use/avoidance of various drugs in older adults based on their health status and are being further updated as and when required. This change in Beers criteria is due to some limitations in the study population, emerging adverse drug reactions/new drug molecules, change in pharmacodynamics of medicines with changing physiology of older adults. Beers guidelines are being updated; however, few significant issues that are not being touched by the committee responsible for constituting the criteria.