Fig. 1

The layout of research design. ¹⁾ In order to minimize the protopathic bias, the first year before index date was excluded. Also, sensitivity analysis was done after excluding the first 4 years before index date. ²⁾ The Korean version anticholinergic burden scale (KABS) and the Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden Scale (ACB) were used as the standard of anticholinergic burden score. ³⁾ For measuring the sedative load, the sedative load model was used; score 2 for primary sedative agents and score 1 for medications having sedation as a prominent side effects. ⁴⁾ Matching variables: age, sex, and baseline co-morbid diseases including hypertension, dyslipidemia, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, cerebrovascular disease, Parkinson’s disease, depression, anxiety, insomnia, and alcohol disease