Beers Criteria are guidelines developed by the American Geriatrics Society to improve the safety of prescribing medications for which population?

• A. Older adults
• B. Children
• C. Adolescents
• D. All adults

Answer: (A)

Beers Criteria focus on the realities of aging and how they affect medication safety. As people get older, changes in body composition, organ function, and sensitivity to many drugs increase the risk of adverse effects like delirium, cognitive impairment, dizziness, falls, and dangerous drug interactions. The American Geriatrics Society developed these guidelines to identify medications that are potentially inappropriate for older adults and to guide clinicians in choosing safer alternatives or adjusting doses. This makes the Beers Criteria specifically targeted to the older population, rather than children, adolescents, or all adults.