Assessing the Efficacy of the ARMOR Tool-Based Deprescribing Intervention for Fall Risk Reduction in Older Patients...

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Pharmacology
• Health Economics

Background:

• Falls in older adults lead to severe health issues and increased healthcare costs.
• Fall Risk-Increasing Drugs (FRIDs) contribute significantly to fall incidents in the elderly.
• Deprescribing offers a strategy to manage polypharmacy and mitigate medication-related risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the effectiveness of the ARMOR tool in reducing falls among older patients on FRIDs.
• To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of deprescribing FRIDs using the ARMOR intervention.
• To provide evidence for optimizing geriatric care and fall prevention strategies.

Main Methods:

• An open-label, randomized controlled trial involving individuals aged 60-80 years on multiple medications, including FRIDs.
• Stratified randomization of physicians to implement deprescribing with the ARMOR tool.
• Comprehensive data collection including fall history, medication review, and validated fall risk assessments (Timed Up and Go, Tinetti).

Main Results:

• Efficacy measured by fall frequency and changes in fall risk assessment scores.
• Cost-effectiveness analysis including incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER).
• Monitoring of adverse events related to deprescribing interventions.

Conclusions:

• The ARMOR tool shows promise in reducing falls in the geriatric population using FRIDs.
• Deprescribing FRIDs is likely a cost-effective strategy for improving health outcomes in older adults.
• Findings will inform healthcare professionals and policymakers on fall prevention and medication management in the elderly.