Medications Most Likely to Cause Harm in Older Adults

Three classes of drugs contribute to sixty (60) percent of emergency room visits for adverse drug reactions among older adults.

Blood Thinners	Diabetes Medications	Opioids
Blood thinners such as Warfarin and Aspirin can cause severe bleeding, which can be life-threatening in older adults	Diabetes medications insulin and sulfonylureas can cause hypoglycemia or low blood sugar in older adults, increasing risk for falls, fracture, confusion, seizures, and hospitalization	Opioids prescribed or illicitly use to treat pain in older adults can be habit-forming, and can lead to sedation, falls, cognitive impairment, and motor vehicle accidents

Other classes of drugs have been shown to increase the potential for harmful adverse effects in older adults.

Sedative Hypnotics	Over-the-Counter Drugs	Blood Pressure Medications	Antipsychotic Drugs
Sedative Hypnotics such as benzodiazepines (Example, Xanax, Ativan, Valium, and Ambien) and many sleep medications, as well as antidepressants, increase risk of falls, fractures, cognitive impairment, and other adverse effects in older adults	Many commonly used Over-the-Counter Drugs, including bladder medications and antihistamines have anticholinergic properties. These medication can cause hallucinations, confusion, tachycardia, dry eyes, and other adverse effects, which can be more pronounced in older adults.	Blood pressure medications, especially when used at high doses or in combination, can lower blood pressure too much and lead to falls, cognitive impairment, and other adverse effects in older adults.	Antipsychotic drugs can lead to delirium, cognitive, drug-induced movement disorders, and metabolic disturbances.