Drug Related Falls in Older Patients
Studies show approximately a third of community-dwelling people aged 65 years and older fall at least once per year.
According to National Center for Biotechnology Information, falls are the leading cause of injuries among older adults, aged 65 years and older. Numerous studies have identified risk factors and investigated possible strategies to prevent (recurrent) falls in community-dwelling older people and those living in long-term care facilities. Several types of drugs have been associated with an increased fall risk. Since drugs are a modifiable risk factor, periodic drug review among older adults should be incorporated in a fall prevention program.
Several types of drugs are associated with a significant risk of falls, the so-called ‘fall risk increasing drugs’. Falls and the use of psychotropic, cardiac and analgesic drugs in the older population. Antidepressants have long been recognized as a contributory factor to falls. Fall risk increases with the number of drugs used per day and polypharmacy (the use of at least three drugs) is regarded as an important risk factor for falls in older people. A recent cross-sectional study showed that polypharmacy itself is not a risk factor for falling, unless a fall risk increasing drug is part of the drug regimen.
Although fall incidents are the main mechanism for injuries, underlying medical conditions, such as osteoporosis, places older individuals at higher risk of injurious falls. The prevention of falls is a first and important step, but should be accompanied by optimizing the patient’s condition and medication use to reduced injuries due to falls.
Falls are a major public health problem in ageing populations worldwide. Fall-related injuries have large societal and individual consequences. Programmes to prevent falls and fractures should be implemented to reduce the associated injury, mortality, costs and substantial burden on healthcare workers and institutions.
Drug prescriptions for older patients require close attention, particularly since drug metabolism, efficacy and ADRs vary significantly between older and younger individuals.
The total healthcare costs spent on falls are high, partly due to the high incidence of falls, but also because of the high costs per incident. Besides the large burden of healthcare consumption and costs, falls may have a major impact on the individual patient.
Pharmacogenomic testing can be a tool to help guide healthcare professionals when prescribing to older adults to help prevent drug-on-drug interactions or falls due to medication adherance.
Preventing or limiting falls can lower healthcare costs and keep your patients living longer…better!
For more information on Metabolic Validation, via pharmacogenomic testing, contact:
PGx Medical
Individualized Care – Personalized Medicine
405-509-5112
info@pgxmed.com
Source: ncbi.com
