title: Polypharmacy Reduction Strategies: Tips on Incorporating American Geriatrics Society Beers and Screening Tool of Older People's Prescriptions Criteria.
abstract: There is no single definition of polypharmacy. Use of 5 or more medications commonly is used. An alternative, quantitative definition, such as use of more medications than clinically indicated or use of unnecessary or harmful prescribing, has been proposed. Protocols or algorithms to improve polypharmacy and prescribing in older adults have been developed. The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Beers Criteria and Screening Tool of Older People's Prescriptions (STOPP) explicit criteria reflect elements that are common across protocols and algorithms. Concepts in AGS Beers and STOPP can be incorporated into polypharmacy reduction strategies to improve outcomes of care for older adults.
authors.affiliation: HbL PharmaConsulting, 9648 Olive Boulevard, #309, St Louis, MO 63132, USA. Electronic address: hedva@hblpharm.com.
authors.forename: Hedva Barenholtz
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Levy
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D057970:Inappropriate Prescribing / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015994:Incidence; D019338:Polypharmacy; D000067561:Potentially Inappropriate Medication List / Q000592:standards*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Aged/aging; Explicit criteria; Medication use; Polypharmacy; Potentially inappropriate medications; Prescribing