Beers Criteria: Independent of Diagnoses or Conditions 

Updated: Jul 13, 2021
Author: Abimbola Farinde, PharmD, PhD;

Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults

Analgesics/anti-inflammatory agents

Analgesics and anti-inflammatory agents included in the criteria include the following:

  • Etodolac (high severity rating [H])[1, 2, 3, 4]

  • Indomethacin (H)

  • Fenoprofen (H)

  • Ibuprofen (H)

  • Ketorolac (H)

  • Meloxicam (H)

  • Meperidine (H)

  • Naproxen (H)

  • Oxaprozin (H)

  • Pentazocine (H)

  • Piroxicam (H)

  • Propoxyphene (low severity rating [L])

  • Trimethobenzamide (H)

Antiarrhythmics

Antiarrhythmics include the following:

  • Amiodarone (H)

  • Dofetilide (H)

  • Dronedarone

  • Procainamide (H)

  • Digoxin (L)

  • Quinidine (H)

  • Disopyramide (H)

Anticholinergics/antihistamines

Anticholinergics and antihistamines include the following:

  • Brompheniramine (L)

  • Chlorpheniramine (H)

  • Cimetidine (L)

  • Diphenhydramine (H)

  • Hydroxyzine (H)

  • Cyproheptadine (H)

  • Clemastine (H)

  • Promethazine (H)

  • Tripelennamine (H)

  • Dexchlorpheniramine (H)

Antidepressants

Antidepressants include the following:

  • Amitriptyline (H)

  • Imipramine (H)

  • Chlordiazepoxide-amitriptyline (H)

  • Doxepin >6 mg/day (H)

  • Fluoxetine (H)

  • Perphenazine-amitriptyline (H)

Antihypertensive

Antihypertensive medications include the following:

  • Clonidine (L)

  • Guanfacine (L)

  • Guanabenz (L)

  • Cyclandelate (L)

  • Dipyridamole (L)

  • Doxazosin (L)

  • Ethacrynic acid (L)

  • Guanadrel (H)

  • Guanethidine (H)

  • Isoxsuprine (L)

  • Methyldopa (H)

  • Methyldopa-hydrochlorothiazide (H)

  • Nifedipine (H)

  • Nitrofurantoin (H)

  • Reserpine (L)

Antiplatelet agents

Antiplatelet agents include the following:

  • Ticlopidine (H)

Antipsychotics

Antipsychotics include the following:

  • First-generation antipsychotics (H)

  • Thioridazine (H)

  • Mesoridazine (H)

Anxiolytics

Anxiolytics include the following:

  • Alprazolam (H)

  • Chlordiazepoxide (H)

  • Chlordiazepoxide-amitriptyline (H)

  • Clorazepate (H)

  • Clidinium-chlordiazepoxide (H)

  • Diazepam (H)

  • Halazepam (H)

  • Lorazepam (H)

  • Meprobamate (H)

  • Oxazepam (H)

  • Quazepam (H)

  • Rurazepam (H)

  • Temazepam (H)

  • Triazolam (H)

Dementia agents

Dementia agents include the following:

  • Anticholinergics (H)

  • Benzodiazepines (H)

  • Ergot mesyloids (L)

  • Cyclandelate (L)

Gastrointestinal antispasmodics

Gastrointestinal antispasmodics include the following:

  • Dicyclomine (H)

  • Hyoscyamine (H)

  • Propantheline (H)

  • Belladonna alkaloids (H)

  • Clidinium-chlordiazepoxide (H)

Hormone agents

Hormone agents include the following:

  • Methyltestosterone (H)

  • Estrogen (L)

Laxatives

Laxatives include the following:

  • Bisacodyl (H)

  • Cascara sagrada (H)

  • Mineral oil (H)

  • Neoloid (H)

Muscle relaxants

Muscle relaxants include the following:

  • Carisoprodol (H)

  • Chlorzoxazone (H)

  • Cyclobenzaprine (H)

  • Metaxalone (H)

  • Methocarbamol (H)

  • Orphenadrine (H)

  • Oxybutynin (H)

Nutritional supplements

Nutritional supplements include the following:

  • Ferrous sulfate >325 mg/day (L)

Oral hypoglycemics

Oral hypoglycemics include the following:

  • Chlorpropamide (H)

Sedatives

Sedatives include the following:

  • Barbiturates (except phenobarbital) (H)

Stimulants/anorexic agents

Stimulants and anorexic agents include the following:

  • Amphetamines (H)

  • Phenylephrine stimulants (H)

  • Pseudoephedrine (H)

  • Methylphenidate (H)