This resource is based on the following:

  • Anticholinergic cognitive burden scale. (2012 update). Indianapolis: Regenstrief Institute, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.agingbraincare.org/uploads/products/ACB_scale_-_legal_size.pdf
  • Australian Government, Department of Health and Ageing. (2012). Guiding principles for medication management in residential aged care facilities. Commonwealth of Australia: Canberra, ACT.
  • Australian Government, Department of Health, Therapeutic Goods Administration. (2016). Poisons Standard July 2016: Appendix K (pp. 334-341). Retrieved from https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2016L01071
  • Australian Government, Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Veterans’ MATES. (2014). Topic 39: Thinking clearly about the anticholinergic burden. Retrieved from https://www.veteransmates.net.au/topic-39
  • Durán C.E., Azermai M., Vander Stichele R.H. (2013). Systematic review of anticholinergic risk scales in older adults. Eur J Clin Pharmacol, 69, 1485-1496. doi: 10.1007/s00228-013-1499-3
  • Rossi, S. (Ed). (2022). Anticholinergics. Adelaide: Australian Medicines Handbook Pty Ltd.
  • Rudolph, J.L., Salow, M.J., Angelini, M.C., and McGlinchey, R.E. (2008). The anticholinergic risk scale and anticholinergic adverse effects in older persons. Arch Intern Med, 168(5), 508-513. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2007.106
  • This reference resource may be used by all staff involved with medication management in community and residential aged care settings. The resource accompanies the DTA ‘Optimising antispsychotic medication management for responsive behaviours’ quick reference resource. The information focuses on commonly prescribed medications in Australian residential aged care and their associated degree of adverse cognitive effects, primarily medications with anticholinergic and sedative actions. The medication list is not exhaustive, and should not be used as the sole reference when managing a patient with a suspected cognitive adverse effect. They are not intended to be used to guide prescribing decisions. This resource provides general information only and does not claim to reflect all considerations. As with all guidelines, this resource must be used in consideration of each individual patients’ circumstances and goals of care.
  • This resource was originally produced by the Western Australian Dementia Training Study Centre, School of Pharmacy, Curtin University, with expert advice from Louis Anastasas, Dr Nicholas Bretland, Danijela Gnjidic, Alison Ilijovski and Ann Toh. It is now distributed by Dementia Training Australia, funded by the Australian Government.
  • The assistance of Webstercare® with providing the medication usage data for this resource is acknowledged with gratitude.

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