Psychotropic medications,including short acting benzodiazepines,strongly increase the frequency of falls in elderly |
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| Authors: | Astrid M. van Strien Huiberdina L. Koek Rob J. van Marum Mariëlle H. Emmelot-Vonk |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Geriatric Medicine, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands;2. Department of Geriatric Medicine, Jeroen Bosch Hospital, Den Bosch, The Netherlands;1. Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Science, Sveu?ili?na avenija 4, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia;2. Department of Studies in Italian Language, Juraj Dobrila University of Pula, Ivana Mateti?a Ronjgova 1, 52 100 Pula, Croatia;1. Department of Trauma Surgery, Otto-von-Guericke University, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany;2. Department of Biometrics and Medical Informatics, Otto-von-Guericke University, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany;3. Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, Otto-von-Guericke University, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany;4. Division of Experimental Surgery, Department of Surgery, Otto-von-Guericke University, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany;5. Department of Nephrology and Hypertension and Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Otto-von-Guericke University, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany;6. Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Otto-von-Guericke University, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany;7. Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Otto-von-Guericke University, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany;1. TKM (Traditional Korean Medicine)-Based Herbal Drug Research Group, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea;2. Internal Medicine, Dunsan Oriental Medical Hospital of Daejeon Univ., Daejeon, South Korea;1. Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore;2. Office of Clinical Sciences, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore;3. Department of Ophthalmology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore;4. Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore;5. Program in Health Services & Systems Research, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore |
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| Abstract: | ObjectivesFalls in the elderly are common and often serious. The aim of this study was to examine the association between the use of different classes of psychotropic medications, especially short acting benzodiazepines, and the frequency of falling in elderly.Study design This retrospective cohort study was performed with patients who visited the day clinic of the department of geriatric medicine of the University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands between 1 January 2011 and 1 April 2012.Measurements Frequencies of falling in the past year and medication use were recorded. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between the frequency of falling in the past year and the use of psychotropic medications.ResultsDuring this period 404 patients were included and 238 (58.9%) of them had experienced one or more falls in the past year. After multivariate adjustment, frequent falls remained significantly associated with exposure to psychotropic medications (odds ratio [OR] 1.96; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.17–3.28), antipsychotics (OR 3.62; 95% CI 1.27–10.33), hypnotics and anxiolytics (OR 1.81; 95% CI 1.05–3.11), short-acting benzodiazepines or Z-drugs (OR 1.94; 95% CI 1.10–3.42) and antidepressants (OR 2.35; 95% CI 1.33–4.16).ConclusionsThis study confirms that taking psychotropic medication, including short-acting benzodiazepines, strongly increases the frequency of falls in elderly. This relation should be explicitly recognized by doctors prescribing for older people, and by older people themselves. If possible such medication should be avoided for elderly patients especially with other risk factors for falling. |
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