Conclusions The use of sedatives and hypnotics and antidepressants including tricyclic antidepressants , selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors , and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors appears to be related with an increased risk of falls .
It is not clear if the use of antihypertensive medications is associated with the risk of falls in older people
Purpose Falls are an important public health problem in older people .
Medication use is considered a risk factor for falls .
This study systematic ally review ed recent studies to determine the medications that might be associated with the risk of falling in older people .
Associations between drug burden index and falls in older people in residential aged care.
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the association between the Drug Burden Index ( DBI ) , a measure of a person 's total exposure to anticholinergic and sedative medications that includes principles of dose-response and maximal effect and is associated with impaired physical function in community-dwelling older people , and falls in residents of residential aged care facilities ( RACFs ) . DESIGN Data were drawn from participants in a r and omized controlled trial that investigated falls and fractures . SETTING RACFs in Sydney , Australia . PARTICIPANTS Study participants ( N=602 ; 70.9 % female ) were recruited from 51 RACFs . Mean age was 85.7 ± 6.4 , and mean DBI was 0.60 ± 0.66 . MEASUREMENTS Medication history was obtained on each participant . Drugs were classified as anticholinergic or sedative and a DBI was calculated . Falls were measured over a 12-month period . Comorbidity , cognitive impairment ( Mini-Mental State Examination ) and depression ( Geriatric Depression Scale ) were determined . RESULTS There were 998 falls in 330 individuals during a follow-up period of 574.2 person-years , equating to an average rate of 1.74 falls per person-year . The univariate negative binomial regression model for falls showed incidence rate ratios of 1.69 ( 95 % confidence interval (CI)=1.22 - 2.34 ) for low DBI ( < 1 ) and 2.11 ( 95 % CI=1.47 - 3.04 ) for high DBI ( ≥1 ) when compared with those who had a DBI of 0 . After adjusting for age , sex , history of falling , cognitive impairment , depression , use of a walking aid , comorbidities , polypharmacy , and incontinence , incident rate ratios of 1.61 ( 95 % CI=1.17 - 2.23 ) for low DBI and 1.90 ( 95 % CI=1.30 - 2.78 ) for high DBI were obtained . CONCLUSION DBI is significantly and independently associated with falls in older people living in RACFs . Interventional studies design ed for this population are needed to determine whether reducing DBI , through dose reduction or cessation of anticholinergic and sedative drugs , can prevent falls
Conclusions The use of sedatives and hypnotics and antidepressants including tricyclic antidepressants , selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors , and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors appears to be related with an increased risk of falls .
It is not clear if the use of antihypertensive medications is associated with the risk of falls in older people
Purpose Falls are an important public health problem in older people .
Medication use is considered a risk factor for falls .
This study systematic ally review ed recent studies to determine the medications that might be associated with the risk of falling in older people .