Think Before Prescribing: Using the Beers Criteria in Advanced Practice
Prescribing for older adults requires more than knowledge of drug therapies — it demands careful evaluation of medication safety. The 2023 American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Beers Criteria helps APRNs identify potentially inappropriate medications in older adults who face increased risks due to physiologic changes, polypharmacy, and heightened drug sensitivity. As highlighted in a PharmCon freeCE educational activity led by Carolyn O’Brien, PhD, AGPCNP-BC, the Beers Criteria is a clinical guideline, not a mandate. It supports individualized decision-making, particularly when managing high-risk medications such as anticholinergics, benzodiazepines, certain sulfonylureas, and NSAIDs. APRNs must weigh fall risk, delirium potential, cognitive burden, and overall quality of life while considering safer alternatives and deprescribing strategies. Using Beers thoughtfully strengthens medication safety, improves geriatric outcomes, and reinforces advanced pharmacology competency in high-stakes prescribing situations.