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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Older adults are getting safer prescriptions over time. A new study found that exposure to potentially inappropriate medications with adverse cognitive effects in seniors dropped from 39.3% in 2011 to 29.3% in 2022. But those still taking these drugs — including antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, and hypnotics — face significantly higher odds of poor mental quality of life, more ER visits, and more hospitalizations.
Good news on the prescribing front: older adults with cognitive disorders are less frequently being prescribed medications known to harm cognition. A nationally representative study tracking over 2,700 seniors (aged 65+) from 2011 to 2022 found a meaningful decline in exposure to so-called "cognitive potentially inappropriate medications" (cPIMs) — a category that includes anticholinergics, antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, and hypnotics.
The biggest drops came from benzodiazepines and non-benzodiazepine hypnotics (like sleep aids), which saw annual declines of 6.8% and 10.6%, respectively. Still, nearly 1 in 3 seniors with cognitive disorders was exposed to at least one of these medications as recently as 2022 — and the consequences are significant.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: These findings signal real clinical risk. Researchers suggest cPIM exposure may flag patients who are especially vulnerable and could benefit from proactive medication reviews — a practical takeaway for primary care providers and geriatric specialists alike.
