Key result
Anticholinergic medication use occurs in ~54% of older adults, linked to gender and polypharmacy.
Why the study?
Older adults frequently consume medications with anticholinergic activity and are more vulnerable to adverse events, warranting investigation of anticholinergic risk scales and their clinical implications.
What is the prevalence of medications with anticholinergic activity and their association with polypharmacy, cognition, and functional losses in aged individuals?
Cross-Sectional (n=1,143)
What is the prevalence of medications with anticholinergic activity and their association with polypharmacy, cognition, and functional losses in aged individuals?
In a Brazilian cohort of older adults, over half used medications with anticholinergic activity, which was significantly associated with gender and polypharmacy, with good agreement among several anticholinergic risk scales.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Common anticholinergic use in older adults signals polypharmacy review; leaves open causal effects on cognition and function.
Aged have a high consumption of medications with anticholinergic activity (MAA), being more vulnerable to adverse events. Using the anticholinergic risk scales, we investigated the prevalence and burden of MAA in the aged, the agreement between the scales and the implications of using MAA with a burden of 2 and 3 on the scales in relation to polypharmacy, cognition and functionality. Cross-sectional study with aged, of both sexes, aged ≥ 60 years old. The prevalence and burden of MAA were investigated by scales: anticholinergic drug scale (ADS), anticholinergic risk scale (ARS), anticholinergic cognitive burden scale (ACB), Brazilian scale of medications with anticholinergic activity (BSMAA). We analyzed the agreement of the scales with Kappa coefficient and investigated by logistic regression the association of MAA with: gender, age, polypharmacy; cognitive capacity (MMSE) and functional capacity (BOMFAQ questionnaire). Of those interviewed, 1,143 aged used medication and 53.5% used MAA. A good agreement was found between: ADS/ACB (0.642), ADS/SBMAA (0.669), ACB/SBMAA (0.656). In the multivariate analysis: gender and polypharmacy were statistically significant.
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Conti et al. (2025) conducted a cross-sectional in Older adults (n=1,143). Medications with anticholinergic activity (MAA) was evaluated on Prevalence of medications with anticholinergic activity (MAA) use. Medications with anticholinergic activity were used by 53.5% of 1,143 older adults, showing good agreement across risk scales and significant associations with gender and polypharmacy.
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