title: Risk of Injury in Older Adults Using Gastrointestinal Antispasmodic and Anticholinergic Medications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the risk of injury associated with gastrointestinal (GI) antispasmodic and anticholinergic use in elderly adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case-control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Integrated healthcare system.
  
  
  METHODS
  Healthcare system members aged 65 and older (N = 260,010; 54,152 cases, 205,858 controls).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cases were identified as individuals with an injury resulting in a hospitalization, emergency department, or urgent care visit (index date) from January 2009 through December 2010. Cases and controls were matched in a 1:4 ratio based on age and sex. GI antispasmodic and anticholinergic current and past exposure for cases and controls was evaluated. Individuals were classified as current users if the days' supply of the GI prescription overlapped the index date and past users if the days' supply ended more than 60 days before the index date. Duration of use for current users was analyzed for short- and long-term use. Conditional logistic regression produced adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the total population, 1,068 (0.4%) had current exposure to a GI antispasmodic or anticholinergic (302 (0.6%) cases, 766 (0.4%) controls). Current users had a small but significantly greater risk of injury than nonusers (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.01-1.34, P = .03). Past use was not significantly different from no use. Short-term users had a significantly greater risk of injury (OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.01-1.70, P = .04) than nonusers. Long-term use was associated with greater risk, but the difference was not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Older adults using GI antispasmodic and anticholinergic drugs have greater risk of injury. These findings support recommendations to limit the prescribing of GI antispasmodics and anticholinergics in elderly adults.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Outcomes Research Group, Kaiser Permanente, Downey, California.
authors.forename: Michele M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Spence
authors.affiliation: Drug Information Services, Kaiser Permanente, Downey, California.
authors.forename: Fatima A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Karim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: Eric A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Outcomes Research Group, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, California.
authors.forename: Rita L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Practice, Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park Medical Center, Baldwin Park, California.
authors.forename: Nancy E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Gibbs
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010276:Parasympatholytics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists; D010276:Parasympatholytics
keywords: Beers criteria; anticholinergics; antispasmodics; elderly; injury