A century ago, the average American could expect to live 50 years or so.\u00a0 Today, we can expect to live nearly 80. That\u2019s a big jump. What contributed to that big jump in longevity? A lot of things — including the development of medications that prevent and treat serious illnesses like diabetes and heart disease. In addition to all the good they can do, though, drugs can also cause serious side effects and interact with one another in potentially harmful ways. That\u2019s why weighing a medication\u2019s benefits against the risks it poses is so important. It\u2019s particularly important in later life, because age-related physical changes put older adults at particularly high\u00a0 risk of\u00a0 drug side effects and other \u201cadverse drug events.\u201d<\/p>\n
To help healthcare providers safely prescribe medications for older adults, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) recently revised, updated and expanded the Beers Criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults. <\/em>The criteria were first published by the late geriatrician Mark Beers, MD, and other experts in 1991, and were revised in 1997 and 2003. They have long been the leading source of information about safe prescribing for adults 65 and older.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The new 2012 AGS Updated Beers Criteria for\u00a0 Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults, <\/em>identifies drugs that are potentially inappropriate for older adults (please note the word \u201cpotentially\u201d \u2013 it\u2019s important) and assigns these drugs to one of\u00a0 three categories. The first category includes medications that are potentially inappropriate for older people because they either pose high risks of adverse effects or seem to have limited effectiveness in older patients, and <\/em>because there are alternatives to these medications.\u00a0 The second category includes drugs that are potentially inappropriate for older people who have certain health problems, because these drugs can make those problems worse. The third includes medications that, studies suggest, pose risks for older adults in general \u2013 but may nevertheless be the best choice for a particula<\/em>r individual if prescribed with care.<\/p>\n The AGS\u2019 Foundation for Heath in Aging has posted tools and resources based on the new AGS Beers Criteria <\/em>here<\/a><\/strong>, on its new website. These include easy-to-read versions of the Beers<\/em> lists, a Question and Answer sheet, and an AGS tip sheet explaining how to use medications safely. These publications can help you learn more about medication safety. I encourage you to take a look.<\/p>\n What if you discover that a medication you\u2019re taking is on one of the Beers<\/em> lists? Don\u2019t panic. And definitely don\u2019t stop taking it. You\u2019re taking that drug because you have a health problem that needs treatment, and suddenly stopping your medication could be dangerous. Keep in mind that just because a drug is identified as being potentially <\/em>inappropriate for older adults doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s inappropriate for all<\/em> adults 65 and older.\u00a0 Different people can respond in different ways to the same medication. If you\u2019re concerned, call your healthcare provider and get more information.\u00a0 Getting answers to your questions about your health is important. That\u2019s why our website is here \u2013 for you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A century ago, the average American could expect to live 50 years or so.\u00a0 Today, we can expect to live nearly 80. That\u2019s a big jump. What contributed to that big jump in longevity? A lot of things — including … Continue reading