AGS Releases Updated Beers Criteria, Identifies Inappropriate Medications for OAs

Since the last update in 2015, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) has unveiled its most recent changes to the AGS Beers Criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults. The new update includes multiple medications and medication classes that older adults should avoid or use with caution.

According to AGS, more than 90% of older adults use at least one prescription medication and more that 66% use three or more in a month, and the AGS Beers Criteria plays a key role in helping health professionals, older adults, and care givers work together to ensure medications are appropriate.  

“Medications play an important role in health and wellbeing for many older people,” Donna M. Fick, PhD, RN, FGSA, FAAN, co-chair of the expert panel responsible for the 2019 AGS Beers Criteria, said in statement. “With this new update, we hope the latest information on what makes medications appropriate for older people can play an equally important role in decisions about treatment options that meets the needs of older adults while also keeping them as safe as possible.”

For the 2019 update, more than 1400 clinical trials and research studies published between 2017 and the last criteria update in 2015 were review by a panel of 13 experts. Based on the panel’s findings, the criteria updates across all of its five current lists were determined.

The 2019 AGS Beers Criteria now includes:

• 30 individual medications or medication classes to avoid for most older adults;
• 40 medications or medication classes to use with caution or avoid when someone lives with certain diseases or conditions; and,
• Several changes to medications previously identified as potentially inappropriate, which include twenty-five medications or medication classes that were dropped from the last update to the AGS Beers Criteria in 2015, while several others were moved to new categories or had guidance revised based on new evidence.

In addition, companion tools were also released. These tools include an expanded editorial that outlines the proper use of the AGS Beers Criteria. Specifically, the editorial outlines two priorities:  safe prescribing practices at the bedside and the development of quality measures for evaluating health care.

“The AGS Beers Criteria® aims to guide older people and health professionals away from potentially harmful treatments while helping us assess quality of care,” Todd Semla, MS, PharmD, BCGP, FCCP, AGSF, a co-chair of the AGS Beers Criteria® panel for 2019, noted in a statement.

The complete 2019 update can be found in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

—Julie Gould

Reference:

AGS. FOR OLDER PEOPLE, MEDICATIONS ARE COMMON; UPDATED AGS BEERS CRITERIA® AIMS TO MAKE SURE THEY’RE APPROPRIATE, TOO [press release]. https://www.americangeriatrics.org/media-center/news/older-people-medications-are-common-updated-ags-beers-criteriar-aims-make-sure. January 31, 2019.

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