Beers Criteria: What Older Adults Need to Know About Risky Medications

When you’re over 65, your body doesn’t process drugs the same way it did at 30. That’s where the Beers Criteria, a widely used list of potentially inappropriate medications for older adults, updated regularly by the American Geriatrics Society. Also known as the Beers List, it helps doctors and patients spot drugs that do more harm than good in seniors. It’s not about banning meds—it’s about replacing risky ones with safer alternatives that actually work for aging bodies.

The Beers Criteria isn’t just a checklist. It’s a tool built from decades of real-world data on how drugs affect older people. For example, it flags drugs like diphenhydramine (found in Benadryl and many sleep aids) because they block acetylcholine—a brain chemical already declining with age. That can lead to confusion, falls, and even memory loss. It also warns against long-term use of benzodiazepines like diazepam, which increase fall risk by 50% in seniors. And it highlights how common OTC painkillers like NSAIDs can trigger kidney failure or stomach bleeds in older adults, especially when taken with blood thinners. These aren’t hypothetical risks—they’re documented, preventable harms.

Another key part of the Beers Criteria is its focus on polypharmacy. Taking five or more medications at once isn’t just common—it’s dangerous. Each new drug adds interaction risk. One pill might raise blood pressure, another might lower it. One might make you drowsy, another might keep you awake. The Beers Criteria helps cut through the noise by identifying the top offenders. It also links to geriatric pharmacology, the science of how aging changes drug absorption, metabolism, and elimination. Older kidneys and livers can’t clear drugs as fast, so standard doses become toxic doses.

You’ll find posts here that dig into real cases: how warfarin and certain antibiotics can turn deadly in seniors, why statins sometimes cause more harm than good in frail older patients, and how even something as simple as iron supplements can interfere with thyroid meds. These aren’t abstract warnings—they’re daily realities for millions. The goal isn’t to scare you, but to empower you. If you or a loved one is on multiple prescriptions, the Beers Criteria gives you a starting point to ask better questions. What’s this for? Is there a safer option? Could we try stopping one? These conversations save lives.

Below, you’ll find practical guides on spotting risky drugs, managing medication lists, and talking to pharmacists about what’s truly necessary. No jargon. No fluff. Just clear, actionable info based on real patient experiences and clinical evidence. Whether you’re managing your own meds or helping a parent, this collection gives you the tools to cut through the confusion and protect what matters most—your health.