Prescribing Patterns of Potentially Inappropriate CNS-Active Medications in Older Adults.

For decades, clinical guidelines have discouraged use of high-risk central nervous system (CNS)–active medications because they increase risk of delirium, falls, and hospitalizations, particularly for older adults with cognitive impairment.1 Understanding recent utilization patterns of Beers Criteria’s potentially inappropriate CNS-active medications could inform deprescribing interventions designed to mitigate iatrogenic harm.

This study examined prescribing patterns of potentially inappropriate CNS-active medications among older adults with and without cognitive impairment no dementia (CIND) and dementia from 2013 to 2021.