Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 25, 2026

Assessment of Dependence in Activities of Daily Living Among Older Patients in an Acute Care Unit
Published on: September 30, 2020
Anticholinergic Burden in Elderly People in Nursing Homes: Cross-Sectional Assessment Using ACB Calculator and
Tânia Nascimento1,2, Maria Ana Matos1, Ezequiel Pinto1,2
1Escola Superior de Saúde da Universidade do Algarve (ESSUAlg), Campus de Gambelas, Edifício 1, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal.
Background/Objectives:
Anticholinergic burden is an important risk marker in older adults, associated with cognitive decline, falls, and increased mortality. This study aimed to assess anticholinergic burden in institutionalized elderly individuals using two tools (ACB calculator and CALS-CRIDECO Anticholinergic Load Scale), as well as to analyze its relationship with pharmacotherapeutic variables like polypharmacy.
Methods:
A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted by analyzing the pharmacotherapeutic profiles of institutionalized elderly individuals (≥65 years) utilizing individualized medication preparation services from a community pharmacy in Alentejo (Portugal). Participants agreed to the study and had complete, up-to-date pharmacotherapeutic profiles.
Results:
The pharmacotherapeutic profiles of 75 institutionalized elderly people were analyzed; the sample comprised mostly women (72%) who had experienced excessive polypharmacy (≥10 medications) (56%) and had an average age of 85.62 ± 7.62 years. It was found that 90.7% (ACB) and 89.3% (CALS-CRIDECO) of the elderly had anticholinergic burden, with mean values of 3.60 ± 2.84 and 3.33 ± 2.51, respectively. Women exhibited higher anticholinergic burden in unadjusted analyses (p < 0.05). The burden correlated moderately with the total number of medications (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
The results show high exposure to anticholinergic medications in the institutionalized elderly population, reinforcing the rationale for systematic therapeutic reviews focused on the pharmacological safety of institutionalized older adults in community pharmacies.
More Related Videos
07:02A Computerized Test Battery to Study Pharmacodynamic Effects on the Central Nervous System of Cholinergic Drugs in Early Phase Drug Development
Published on: February 11, 2019
04:13Using a Real-Time Locating System to Measure Walking Activity Associated with Wandering Behaviors Among Institutionalized Older Adults
Published on: February 8, 2019
Related Concept Videos
Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients
Indirect-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Pharmacological Actions
At the neuromuscular junction, these agents work by inhibiting the breakdown of acetylcholine, allowing it to remain bound to the receptor and bind to nearby receptors. This process leads to repetitive firing of the endplate, causing muscle...
Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age
Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Excretion
Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Distribution
Anticholinesterase Agents: Poisoning and Treatment
Irreversible agents form a strong bond with the cholinesterase enzyme, making it inactive. The breakdown of the phosphorylated enzyme is...