When you’re over 65, your body processes medicine differently. That’s where the Beers Criteria, a widely used list of potentially inappropriate medications for older adults. Also known as the AGS Beers Criteria, it’s updated every few years by the American Geriatrics Society to help doctors and patients avoid drugs that do more harm than good. It’s not a rulebook—it’s a safety net. Many of these drugs are still prescribed, even though they can cause falls, confusion, kidney damage, or even death in older people.
The Beers Criteria, a widely used list of potentially inappropriate medications for older adults. Also known as the AGS Beers Criteria, it’s updated every few years by the American Geriatrics Society to help doctors and patients avoid drugs that do more harm than good. is built on real-world data from thousands of older patients. It flags drugs like diphenhydramine (Benadryl), certain sleep aids, and older anticholinergics that cause brain fog, dizziness, or urinary retention. These aren’t rare side effects—they’re common. And they’re often mistaken for normal aging. The criteria also warns against using multiple drugs at once. polypharmacy, the use of multiple medications by a patient, often leading to dangerous interactions. Also known as multiple drug therapy, it’s one of the biggest risks for seniors. If someone’s taking five or more pills daily, the chance of a bad reaction jumps fast. The Beers Criteria helps cut through the noise by showing which drugs to question first.
You’ll also find drugs on the list that are fine for younger people but risky for older bodies. Think of NSAIDs like ibuprofen—great for a headache, but dangerous for kidneys or the stomach in seniors. Or benzodiazepines for anxiety: they might calm nerves, but they also increase fall risk by 50%. The geriatric pharmacology, the study of how medications affect older adults differently than younger people. Also known as aging and drug response, it’s the science behind why the Beers Criteria exists. Your body changes as you age. Liver and kidney function slow down. Muscle mass drops. Fat increases. All of this changes how drugs move through you. What worked at 45 might be unsafe at 75.
What you’ll find in the posts below are real examples of drugs flagged by the Beers Criteria—and what to do instead. You’ll see how antihistamines like loratadine and desloratadine can still cause brain fog in older adults. You’ll learn why drugs like prochlorperazine (Compazine) are often replaced with safer options for nausea. You’ll see how JAK inhibitors like baricitinib, while powerful, need careful monitoring in seniors with heart risks. These aren’t abstract guidelines—they’re practical warnings that show up in everyday prescriptions.
If you’re caring for an older parent, or if you’re over 65 yourself, this isn’t just about avoiding bad drugs. It’s about finding better ones. The Beers Criteria isn’t here to scare you. It’s here to help you ask the right questions. What’s this pill for? Is there a safer option? Could we cut one? The answers could change your quality of life—or even save it.
The Beers Criteria identify potentially dangerous medications for adults over 65. Learn which drugs to avoid, why they're risky, and how to talk to your doctor about safer alternatives.
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