This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the relationship between exposure to anticholinergic and sedative medications, measured with the Drug Burden Index (DBI), and functional outcomes in community-dwelling older people living in Finland.
The study population consisted of community-dwelling older people (n = 700) enrolled in the Geriatric Multidisciplinary Strategy for the Good Care of the Elderly (GeMS) study. Outcomes included walking speed, chair stands test, grip strength, timed up and go (TUG) test, instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), and Barthel Index.
Exposure to DBI drugs was identified in 37% of participants: 24% had a DBI range between >0