A prospective evaluation of medications used by patients aged ≥65 years presenting to the emergency department based on the BEERS criteria

Aim: With aging, the number of chronic diseases increases, and pharmacological requirements differ from those of younger individuals. The proliferation of chronic diseases elevates the frequency of medication use, which in turn raises the risk of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use. Guidelines such as the Beers criteria exist to prevent PIM. This study aimed to evaluate polypharmacy and PIM use during emergency department visits among elderly patients, based on the updated 2023 Beers criteria. Material and Method: Our prospective study included 245 patients aged 65 years or older who presented to the emergency department. The study collected data on medications used at the time of admission, sociodemographic characteristics, presenting symptoms, and comorbidities. Polypharmacy was defined as the use of five or more active pharmacological agents. Each patient's medications were assessed for PIM use according to the 2023 Beers criteria. Data were analyzed using SPSS, with a p-value <0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Among the 245 patients included in the study, 54.3% (n=133) were female and 45.7% (n=112) were male. The mean age of the patients was 75.5 ± 6.9 years (min: 65, max: 97). Polypharmacy was identified in 52.2% of the patients, with a mean medication use of 5.0 ± 3.5 (min: 0, max: 19). According to the 2023 Beers criteria, the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use was 71.0%, and the mean number of PIMs per patient was 1.47 ± 1.38 (min: 0, max: 7). Conclusion: The study demonstrated that a significant proportion of elderly patients presenting to the emergency department exhibited polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use according to the 2023 Beers criteria. To optimize pharmacotherapy management in older adults, multidisciplinary followup in specialized polypharmacy or geriatric clinics is recommended.