Prevalence of medication-related falls in 200 consecutive elderly patients with hip fractures: a cross-sectional study
Abstract Background Hip fractures constitute a major health problem in elderly people and are often fall-related. Several factors can contribute to a fall episode leading to hip fracture, including fall-risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs), which are often used by elderly people. We aimed to investigate th...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2020-03-01
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| Series: | BMC Geriatrics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12877-020-01532-9 |
| _version_ | 1818216146510282752 |
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| author | Charlotte Uggerhøj Andersen Pernille Overgaard Lassen Hussain Qassim Usman Nadja Albertsen Lars Peter Nielsen Stig Andersen |
| author_facet | Charlotte Uggerhøj Andersen Pernille Overgaard Lassen Hussain Qassim Usman Nadja Albertsen Lars Peter Nielsen Stig Andersen |
| author_sort | Charlotte Uggerhøj Andersen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Hip fractures constitute a major health problem in elderly people and are often fall-related. Several factors can contribute to a fall episode leading to hip fracture, including fall-risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs), which are often used by elderly people. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of medication-related falls and to assess the role of FRIDs and potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in a population of elderly patients hospitalized for a hip fracture. Methods We reviewed the patient records of 200 consecutive patients, aged ≥65 years, who were admitted for a hip fracture and evaluated whether medications were likely to have contributed to the fall episode. PIMs were identified using the Screening Tool of Older Persons’ Prescriptions version 2 (STOPP) and by evaluating indications, contra-indications and interactions of the prescribed medications for each patient. Results FRIDs were used by 175 patients (87.5%). Medications were considered a likely contributor to the fall in 82 patients (41%). These were most often psychotropic medications alone or in combination with antihypertensives and/or diuretics. The 82 patients with suspected medication-related falls used more medications, FRIDs and PIMs than the rest of the patients, and in 74 (90%) of the 82 patients, at least one medication considered to be a contributor to the fall was also a PIM. Conclusions The prevalence of suspected medication-related falls was 41%. It seems likely that a medication review could have reduced, though not eliminated, the risk of falling in this group of patients. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T06:47:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-01e6f18c690c41758e39de756f2521b8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2318 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T06:47:20Z |
| publishDate | 2020-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Geriatrics |
| spelling | doaj.art-01e6f18c690c41758e39de756f2521b82022-12-22T00:34:08ZengBMCBMC Geriatrics1471-23182020-03-012011910.1186/s12877-020-01532-9Prevalence of medication-related falls in 200 consecutive elderly patients with hip fractures: a cross-sectional studyCharlotte Uggerhøj Andersen0Pernille Overgaard Lassen1Hussain Qassim Usman2Nadja Albertsen3Lars Peter Nielsen4Stig Andersen5Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Aalborg University HospitalDepartment of Geriatric and Internal Medicine, Aalborg University HospitalDepartment of Geriatric and Internal Medicine, Aalborg University HospitalDepartment of Geriatric and Internal Medicine, Aalborg University HospitalDepartment of Clinical Pharmacology, Aalborg University HospitalDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg UniversityAbstract Background Hip fractures constitute a major health problem in elderly people and are often fall-related. Several factors can contribute to a fall episode leading to hip fracture, including fall-risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs), which are often used by elderly people. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of medication-related falls and to assess the role of FRIDs and potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in a population of elderly patients hospitalized for a hip fracture. Methods We reviewed the patient records of 200 consecutive patients, aged ≥65 years, who were admitted for a hip fracture and evaluated whether medications were likely to have contributed to the fall episode. PIMs were identified using the Screening Tool of Older Persons’ Prescriptions version 2 (STOPP) and by evaluating indications, contra-indications and interactions of the prescribed medications for each patient. Results FRIDs were used by 175 patients (87.5%). Medications were considered a likely contributor to the fall in 82 patients (41%). These were most often psychotropic medications alone or in combination with antihypertensives and/or diuretics. The 82 patients with suspected medication-related falls used more medications, FRIDs and PIMs than the rest of the patients, and in 74 (90%) of the 82 patients, at least one medication considered to be a contributor to the fall was also a PIM. Conclusions The prevalence of suspected medication-related falls was 41%. It seems likely that a medication review could have reduced, though not eliminated, the risk of falling in this group of patients.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12877-020-01532-9Fall-risk-increasing drugsPotentially inappropriate medicationFallPolypharmacyGeriatrics |
| spellingShingle | Charlotte Uggerhøj Andersen Pernille Overgaard Lassen Hussain Qassim Usman Nadja Albertsen Lars Peter Nielsen Stig Andersen Prevalence of medication-related falls in 200 consecutive elderly patients with hip fractures: a cross-sectional study BMC Geriatrics Fall-risk-increasing drugs Potentially inappropriate medication Fall Polypharmacy Geriatrics |
| title | Prevalence of medication-related falls in 200 consecutive elderly patients with hip fractures: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full | Prevalence of medication-related falls in 200 consecutive elderly patients with hip fractures: a cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence of medication-related falls in 200 consecutive elderly patients with hip fractures: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence of medication-related falls in 200 consecutive elderly patients with hip fractures: a cross-sectional study |
| title_short | Prevalence of medication-related falls in 200 consecutive elderly patients with hip fractures: a cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | prevalence of medication related falls in 200 consecutive elderly patients with hip fractures a cross sectional study |
| topic | Fall-risk-increasing drugs Potentially inappropriate medication Fall Polypharmacy Geriatrics |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12877-020-01532-9 |
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