2023 American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria® for potentially inappropriate medication use in older adults.
Medication:
chlorzoxazone (Parafon Forte DSC)
Criteria 1: Potentially inappropriate medication use in older adults. (Table 2)
Drug(s)
skeletal muscle relaxants
Rationale
Muscle relaxants typically used to treat musculoskeletal complaints are poorly tolerated by older adults due to anticholinergic adverse effects, sedation, and increased risk of fractures; effectiveness at dosages tolerated by older adults is questionable. This criterion does not apply to skeletal muscle relaxants typically used for the management of spasticity (i.e., baclofen and tiZANidine) although these drugs can also cause substantial adverse effects.
Recommendation
Avoid
Quality of evidence: Moderate, Strength of Recommendation: Strong
Criteria 4: Potentially clinically important drug-drug interactions that should be avoided in older adults. (Table 5)
Interacting drug(s) or class(es)
skeletal muscle relaxants ⇄ CNS-active agents
Risk Rationale
Increased risk of falls and of fracture with the concurrent use of ≥3 CNS-active agents (antiepileptics including gabapentinoids, antidepressants, antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, Nonbenzodiazepine benzodiazepine receptor agonist hypnotics, opioids, and skeletal muscle relaxants).
Recommendation
Avoid concurrent use of ≥3 CNS-active drugs Click for list; minimize the number of CNS-active drugs.
Quality of evidence: High, Strength of Recommendation: Strong
This criterion does not apply to skeletal muscle relaxants typically used for the management of spasticity (i.e., baclofen and tiZANidine) although these drugs can also cause substantial adverse effects.