Applying the beers and STOPP criteria to care of the critically ill older adult

Potentially inappropriate medications impact pharmacotherapy for the older adult in critical care settings. Critical care teams must be aware of the Beers and Screening Tool of Older Person's Prescriptions criteria as resources to identify medications that may cause adverse drug events in the elderly. Although criteria should not replace clinical judgment, awareness of these guidelines may direct critical care teams to minimize dosing and duration of potentially inappropriate medications to improve outcomes in the intensive care unit.