Limitations
Limitations
still exist and cautions should be taken when interpreting these
results. Firstly, Beers Criteria contains some medications that are not
currently available on Chinese market, and vice versa; racial difference
attributable to enzyme system may result in a change in drug dosage
limitations, or even influence the effectiveness of certain drugs.
Secondly, non-prescription medications such as over-the-counter drugs or
drugs independently purchased by patients from other sources could not
be accounted for in the data, which might lead to an underestimation of
PIM. Thirdly, the Beers criteria do not include an evaluation of
potentially prescribing omissions (PPOs) where safer or more effective
alternatives are recommended. PPO is also a crucial issue that should be
evaluated simultaneously with PIM when investigating the present
prescribing manners.