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Using Motion Capture Technology in the Instrumented Timed Up and Go Test to Detect the Risk of Falling in Aged Adults
Published on: October 25, 2024
Medication as a risk factor for falls: critical systematic review
Sirpa Hartikainen1, Eija Lönnroos, Kirsti Louhivuori
1School of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, Department of Geriatrics, University of Kuopio, Finland. sirpa.hartikainen@uku.fi
Summary
Medications, particularly psychotropics, increase the risk of falls in older adults. Further research is needed to improve study quality and identify all fall-risk medications.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Pharmacology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Falls are a significant concern for older adults, often leading to poor health outcomes.
- Medication use is a recognized potential contributor to falls in this demographic.
- Systematic reviews are crucial for understanding medication-related fall risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review original research on medication use as a risk factor for falls or fractures in individuals aged 60 years and older.
- To identify specific drug classes associated with increased fall risk in the elderly population.
- To assess the quality of existing research on this topic.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a systematic literature search of English articles from 1996-2004 in Medline.
- Included studies focusing on "falls" or "accidental falls" and "pharmaceutical preparations" or specific drug groups.
- Excluded studies not meeting age criteria, lacking appropriate controls, or with unclear medication definitions.
Main Results:
- Analyzed 28 observational studies and 1 randomized controlled trial involving 70 to 132,873 participants.
- Psychotropic medications (benzodiazepines, antidepressants, antipsychotics) were strongly linked to increased fall risk.
- Antiepileptics and antihypertensives showed a weaker association with falls.
Conclusions:
- Central nervous system drugs, especially psychotropics, are associated with a higher risk of falls in older adults.
- Significant improvements are needed in the quality of observational studies, including clear definitions of falls and target medications.
- Many commonly prescribed medications for older individuals have not been systematically evaluated for their role in fall risk.
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