Potentially inappropriate anticholinergic drug use among older adults in primary healthcare: prevalence and determinants.

Background: Considering the vulnerability of older adults to adverse drug reactions, medications with strong anticholinergic properties are considered potentially inappropriate for this population. This study aims to characterize older adults' profile of anticholinergics use and to identify the factors associated with their potentially inappropriate use.

Research design and methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 1200 older adults in primary health care centers of Portugal between April 2021 and August 2022. Potentially inappropriate use was assessed according to the 2023 Beers criteria. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine associations between independent variables and potentially inappropriate use.

Results: A 8.9% (95% CI 0.074-0.107) of the older adults were exposed to one or more potentially inappropriate anticholinergics, and amitriptyline was the most used (2.0%). Multivariate analysis revealed that use was associated with a higher mean number of medications (OR 1.173, 95% CI 1.115-1.234), diagnoses of depression (OR 2.889, 95% CI 1.785-4.674) and psychiatric disorders (OR 1.654, 95% CI 1.003-2.729).

Conclusions: This study underscores the importance of vigilance in prescribing anticholinergic medications to older adults, particularly those with higher medication burdens and mental health diagnoses. By identifying factors associated with potentially inappropriate use, healthcare providers can better tailor medication regimens to mitigate risks and optimize the well-being of older adults.