Drug Burden Index (DBI)
Drug Burden Index (Hilmer 2007): for each anticholinergic or sedative drug, its daily dose (D) and minimum recommended dose (δ).
Open the calculator → Runs in your browser. Data leaves only if you deliberately send a problem report from the interactive tool.
Example
- Drug 1 daily dose
- 10
- Drug 1 minimum dose
- 5
- Drug 2 daily dose
- 4
- Drug 2 minimum dose
- 4
Result: DBI 1.17 — functional medication burden.
The tool opens with these values already filled in. Replace them with your own.
What the result means
- value
- DBI = Σ D/(D + δ); a higher DBI predicts poorer physical and cognitive function in older adults.
What you enter
- Drug 1 daily dose (D)
- Drug 1 minimum dose (δ)
- Drug 2 daily dose (D)
- Drug 2 minimum dose (δ)
- Drug 3 daily dose (D)
- Drug 3 minimum dose (δ)
- Drug 4 daily dose (D)
- Drug 4 minimum dose (δ)
The other 2 fields
- Drug 5 daily dose (D)
- Drug 5 minimum dose (δ)
How this is calculated
Hilmer SN, Mager DE, Simonsick EM, et al. A drug burden index to define the functional burden of medications in older people. Arch Intern Med. 2007;167(8):781-787. Read the source ↗
A reference and educational tool. Not medical, legal, or financial advice, and not a substitute for clinician judgment.