Medications to Avoid in the Elderly

In the daily grind of a fast paced clinic practice, Providers need to stop and pause for a moment when the medication they are prescribing is for an older adult. We need to emphasize the importance of medication safety in our Senior population. Certain drug classes pose significant risks. Here are the classes to avoid:

💊 Benzodiazepines:

- Associated with increased fall risk; approximately 30% of older adults fall annually.

- Can cause cognitive impairment, affecting daily functioning.

💊 Anticholinergics:

- caues delirium and increased risk of dementia; studies show a 50% higher risk for long-term users.

- Side effects include constipation, urinary retention, confusion, and falls.

💊 Opioids:

- High overdose risk; hospitalizations for opioid-related issues have increased by 30% in older adults.

- Can lead to sedation, confusion, increasing fall risk and fractures.

💊 Antipsychotics:

- Increased mortality rates in dementia patients, with studies indicating a 1.6-1.7 times greater risk of death.

- Heightened risk of stroke and other cardiovascular events.

Understanding these risks can create safer prescribing practices and improve the quality of life for our elderly population.

We NEED to do better!