Term: Beers Criteria

Glossary Definition

Last Updated: 2007-02-23

Definition:

A list of drugs, compiled and updated by expert review panels, that should be avoided for use by older adults, as they are generally thought to be ineffective or to place older adults at an unnecessary high risk of experiencing adverse events. These medications typically have strong anticholinergic and sedating properties, or place older adults at an increased risk of drug addiction and falls (Beers, 1997).

For a list of medications identified as those that should be avoided by community dwelling adults aged 65 years and older, please see Appendix 1 - Primary Care Quality Indicator Technical Definitions - "Beers drug prescribing in community dwelling adults aged 75 and older" indicator, from Katz et al. (2016).

Term used in 

• Doupe M, Finlayson G, Khan S, Yogendran M, Schultz J, McDougall C, Kulbaba C. Supportive Housing for Seniors: Reform Implications for Manitoba's Older Adult Continuum of Care. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2016. [Report] [Summary] [Additional Materials] (View)
• Doupe M, Brownell M, Kozyrskyj A, Dik N, Burchill C, Dahl M, Chateau D, De Coster C, Hinds A, Bodnarchuk J. Using Administrative Data to Develop Indicators of Quality Care in Personal Care Homes. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2006. [Report] [Summary] [Additional Materials] (View)
• Katz A, Valdivia J, Chateau D, Taylor C, Walld R, McCulloch S, Becker C, Ginter J. A Comparison of Models of Primary Care Delivery in Winnipeg. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2016. [Report] [Summary] [Additional Materials] (View)
• Metge C, Chateau D, Prior H, Soodeen R, De Coster C, Barre L. Composite Measures/Indices of Health and Health System Performance. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2009. [Report] [Summary] (View)