Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 17, 2025

Assessment of Dependence in Activities of Daily Living Among Older Patients in an Acute Care Unit
Published on: September 30, 2020
Potentially Inadequate Medications in the Elderly: PRISCUS 2.0
Nina-Kristin Mann1, Tim Mathes, Andreas Sönnichsen
1Chair of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health, University of Witten/Herdecke; Institute of Medical Statistics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Göttingen; Institute of Knowledge Management in Medicine, Salzburg, Austria; Institute for Research in Operative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health, University of Witten/Herdecke; Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Digital Health and Patient Safety, Medical University of Vienna, Austria; Department of General and Family Medicine, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Austria; Philipp Klee Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Helios University Hospital, Wuppertal.
A revised PRISCUS list identifies 187 potentially inadequate medications (PIM) for older adults. This updated list, including new drug classes, aims to improve medication safety and reduce PIM prescriptions in the elderly.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Pharmacology
- Drug Safety in the Elderly
Background:
- Potentially Inadequate Medications (PIM) are drugs unsuitable for elderly patients.
- The original PRISCUS list (2010) was the first PIM catalog for the German market.
- PIM prescriptions for German patients aged ≥65 decreased from 24% in 2009 to 14.5% in 2019.
Purpose of the Study:
- To update and expand the PRISCUS list of potentially inadequate medications for the elderly.
- To evaluate drug suitability for geriatric populations through expert consensus.
Main Methods:
- A three-round Delphi process involving clinical and research experts.
- Evaluation of selected drug substances using dedicated literature and systematic reviews.
- Inclusion of comments and therapeutic alternatives from experts.
Main Results:
- 187 substances were classified as PIM.
- 133 substances were new additions not on the original PRISCUS list.
- New PIM include oral antidiabetics, COX-2 inhibitors, oxazepam, and specific durations/dosages for PPIs, ibuprofen, and risperidone.
Conclusions:
- The updated PRISCUS list is significantly expanded.
- Further validation through epidemiological and prospective studies is required.
- Practicability in routine clinical use needs verification.
Related Concept Videos
Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview
Drug Therapy
Antianxiety Medications
Renal Failure: Dose Adjustments
Reduced renal clearance and elimination rate are common outcomes of renal impairment. These alterations lead to a prolonged elimination half-life and an altered apparent volume of distribution for drugs. As a result, dosage adjustments are typically necessary to maintain optimal drug levels in the body.
However, dosage adjustments...
Drug Dosage Regimen: Overview
Typically, the starting dose and dosing interval are guided by the manufacturer's recommendations based on clinical trials conducted during and after drug...
Heart Failure VII: Nursing Interventions
Prescription, Nonprescription and Orphan Drugs
The misuse and addiction to prescription drugs is a growing problem that can affect people of all age groups, specifically teenagers. This can happen when prescription medications are used in ways not intended by the prescriber, such as taking someone else's prescription or using medication for...

