2023 American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria® for potentially inappropriate medication use in older adults.
Medication:
triprolidine (Histex, Zymine)
Criteria 1: Potentially inappropriate medication use in older adults. (Table 2)
Drug(s)
first-generation antihistamines
Rationale
Highly anticholinergic; clearance reduced with advanced age, and tolerance develops when used as hypnotic; risk of confusion, dry mouth, constipation, and other anticholinergic effects or toxicity. Cumulative exposure to anticholinergic drugs is associated with an increased risk of falls, delirium, and dementia, even in younger adults. Consider total anticholinergic burden during regular medication reviews and be cautious in "young-old" as well as "old-old" adults. Use of diphenhydrAMINE in situations such as acute treatment of severe allergic reactions may be appropriate.
Recommendation
Avoid
Quality of evidence: Moderate, Strength of Recommendation: Strong
Criteria 2: Potentially inappropriate medication use in older adults due to drug–disease or drug–syndrome interactions that may exacerbate the disease or syndrome. (Table 3)
Drug(s) ⇆ disease or syndrome
anticholinergics ⇄ Delirium
Rationale
Avoid in older adults with or at high risk of delirium because of the potential of inducing or worsening delirium.
Recommendation
Avoid
Quality of evidence: Moderate, Strength of Recommendation: Strong
Drug(s) ⇆ disease or syndrome
anticholinergics ⇄ Dementia or cognitive impairment
Rationale
Avoid because of adverse CNS effects. If used, periodic deprescribing attempts should be considered to assess ongoing need and/or the lowest effective dose.
Recommendation
Avoid
Quality of evidence: Moderate, Strength of Recommendation: Strong
Drug(s) ⇆ disease or syndrome
anticholinergics ⇄ History of falls or fractures
Rationale
May cause ataxia, impaired psychomotor function, syncope, or additional falls. If one of the drugs must be used, consider reducing the use of other CNS-active medications that increase the risk of falls and fractures. (i.e., anticholinergics, selected antidepressants, antiepileptics, antipsychotics, sedative/hypnotics including benzodiazepines and, Nonbenzodiazepine benzodiazepine receptor agonist hypnotics, opioids) and implement other strategies to reduce fall risk.
Recommendation
Avoid unless safer alternatives are not available.
Quality of evidence: High, Strength of Recommendation: Strong
Use of diphenhydrAMINE in situations such as acute treatment of severe allergic reactions may be appropriate.