Drugs as a significant risk factor for falls in geriatric patients

Česká verzia

Authors: Jana Michalcová ¹; Katarína Bielaková ²; Karel Vašut ¹
Authors place of work: Ústav aplikované farmacie FaF MU Brno ¹; Klinika interní, geriatrie a praktického lékařství LF MU a FN Brno ²
Published in the journal: Geriatrie a Gerontologie 2021, 10, č. 2: 68-73
Category: Original Article

Summary

Background. Falls are common undesirable events for older adults in health care institutions. Medication-related risk can be one of the leading cause of falls.

Methods. This retrospective study used medication data of older adults (n = 188) who had experienced at least one fall during stay in health care institution (n = 128 hospital ward, n = 60 nursing home) within a 2-year study period. Medicines used were classified into three risk categories (high, moderate and none) according to the fall risk information in statutory summaries of product characteristics. The fall risk categorization incorporated the relative frequency of such adverse drug effects that were known to be connected to fall risk: sedation, orthostatic hypotension, syncope, dizziness, drowsiness, changes in blood pressure and impaired balance.

Results. The fall-experienced patients in health care institutions used altogether 1748 medicaments, including 216 different active substances. Of the active substances, 102 (47 %) were categorized as high risk (category A) for increasing fall risk. Fall-experienced patients received a mean of 3.8 category A medicines (n = 710), 53 % (n = 375) of which affected the nervous and 40 % (n = 281) the cardiovascular system.

Conclusion. The preliminary categorization of fall-risk-increasing drugs and optimization of this pharmacotherapy can help to prevent the fall risk in geriatric patients.

Keywords:

geriatric patient – fall risk – medication – preventive risk management

Zdroje

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