Psychotropic Use among Older Adults Living at Home: Use of the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) Drug Classification System and Beers Criteria^®

Abstract

The study examined medication use among older adults living at home and connection between background characteristics, urban/rural residency, and medication use according to Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) drug classification system and Beers Criteria^®. Population-based cross-sectional study, participants (N = 175) were randomly selected from the Icelandic national registry, randomized by age, gender, and residence. On average, participants took 2.9 medications: 20% used psychotropics and 15% used psychotropics in ATC groups N05/N06A, which are deemed inappropriate for this age group according to Beers Criteria. Beers Criteria are useful for recognizing possible inappropriate medications for older adults and can be utilized by mental health nurses to assess the appropriateness of geriatric pharmaceutical treatments.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank to all the older adults who participated in the study and the young research assistants who collected the data.

Additional information

Funding

The research was funded with grants from the Icelandic Regional Development Institute, the University of Akureyri Research Fund, the Akureyri Hospital Research Fund, and the Icelandic Nurses’ Association Research Fund.