2015 Updated Beers Criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults
The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) has convened an expert panel, with representatives from the fields of medicine, pharmacy and nursing to update the Beers Criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults. The draft 2015 Updated Beers Criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults is now available on the AGS website for public comment. Originally conceived of by the late Mark Beers, MD (a geriatrician), the Beers list catalogues medications that cause side effects in the elderly due to the physiologic changes of aging.
UPDATE 10/8/15: The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) has released its second updated and expanded Beers Criteria—lists of potentially inappropriate medications for older adults who are not receiving hospice or palliative care, and one of the most frequently cited reference tools in the field of geriatrics. The Society also unveiled a suite of new companion resources—including a list of alternative therapies for potentially inappropriate medications and more detailed guidance on best practices for implementing AGS recommendations—all published online in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society and available for free from GeriatricsCareOnline.org.
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The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) has convened an expert panel, with representatives from the fields of medicine, pharmacy and nursing, to update the Beers Criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults. Originally conceived of by the late Dr. Mark Beers, a geriatrician, the Beers list catalogues medications that cause side effects in older adults due to the physiologic changes of aging. The Beers List is intended to be used by physicians and health care providers who treat older adults to inform the appropriate and safe use of pharmaceutical agents in complex older patients.
The public comment period closed at 5pm ET on Tues., May 5, 2015. According to a Medscape article (log-in may be required) published in early June, several changes have been made to the 2012 Beers Criteria. While the 2015 list has not been officially released, the society is reportedly removing its recommendation to avoid nitrofurantoin in patients with creatinine clearance levels under 60mL/min. A table of renal dosing was also reportedly added to the criteria, as well as a recommendation to avoid the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for more than eight weeks in older Americans.
The 2015 Updated Beers Criteria is scheduled to be released in September 2015 and the John A. Hartford Foundation and its grantee partner at AGS will continue to engage and provide information as more updates become available. Sign up and be the first to know when the new Beers Criteria is published!
