Table 2 Prevalence of prescriptions of potentially inappropriate medications independent of diagnosis or condition for older adults (N = 523,811)

Anticholinergics (excludes TCAs^a) First-generation antihistamines

105,474

(49.73)

168,642

(54.10)

274,116

(52.33)

Cardiovascular^b

34,748

(16.38)

13,499

(4.33)

48,247

(9.21)

Central nervous system

102,334

(48.25)

209,620

(67.24)

311,954

(59.55)

 Antipsychotics

2,979

(1.40)

4,943

(1.59)

7,922

(1.51)

 Tertiary TCAs^c

11,876

(5.60)

23,220

(7.45)

35,096

(6.70)

 Barbiturates

1,043

(0.49)

1,811

(0.58)

2,854

(0.54)

 Benzodiazepines

71,452

(33.69)

151,334

(48.55)

222,786

(42.53)

 Nonbenzodiazepine hypnotics

14,984

(7.07)

28,312

(9.08)

43,296

(8.27)

Endocrine

6,100

(2.88)

9,128

(2.93)

15,228

(2.91)

Gastrointestinal

18,028

(8.50)

35,961

(11.54)

53,989

(10.31)

Pain

82,101

(38.71)

143,334

(45.98)

225,435

(43.04)

Skeletal muscle relaxants

18,495

(8.72)

36,266

(11.63)

54,761

(10.45)