Explore the following links for helpful resources related to assessing anticholinergic burden in older adults, particularly those who reside in assisted living facilities.
Anticholinergic Risk Scale (ARS) The ARS tool is used to assess the risk of adverse effects due to anticholinergic drugs. Within the tool the medications are broken down into categories and each category is assigned points. To use ARS you must determine the point values of the anticholinergic drugs that the individual is taking, add up the points, and the higher the total points the greater the risk. The tool can be found in table four of the referenced article. This tool was developed by J.L. Rudolph, MD, M.J. Salow, PharmD, M.C. Angelini, MA, PharmD, and R.E. McGlinchey, PhD.
Anticholinergic Pocket Reference Card [PDF] This reference card provides lists of commonly used anticholinergic drugs, which are categorized by their therapeutic use. It also includes some background information and a definition of common anticholinergic adverse effects. This tool was developed by the University of Iowa Health Effectiveness Research Center, and was supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
