Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
-
Multicenter Study Observational Study
Anticholinergic drug use and negative outcomes among the frail elderly population living in a nursing home.
Increasing evidence from experimental studies and clinical observations suggests that drugs with anticholinergic properties can cause physical and mental impairment. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between the use of drugs with anticholinergic activity and negative outcomes in older nursing home residents. ⋯ The use of medications with anticholinergic properties is common among older nursing home residents. Our results suggest that among older nursing home residents the use of anticholinergic drugs is associated with important negative outcomes, such as functional decline, falls, and delirium.