Byline: Kim Pemberton, Vancouver Sun
Seniors taking certain medications, including sedatives and antidepressants, are at a higher risk for falls, according to a University of British Columbia study published this week in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Falls and fall-related complications, such as hip fractures, are the fifth leading cause of death in the elderly, with one-third of seniors who fall requiring hospitalization, the study noted.
Anti-depressants had the highest statistical association with falling, likely because of the sedative properties for the older drugs in this class, said the study's principal investigator Carlo Marra, a UBC associate professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Other drugs significantly associated with falls include anti-psychotics/neuroleptics, often used to treat schizophrenia, and benzodiazepines, such as valium, he said.
"These findings reinforce the need for judicious use of medications in elderly people at risk of falling," said Marra.
"The important thing for seniors to realize is being at an advanced age puts you automatically at risk for falling. My advice is not to stop using medications but to engage in a dialogue with your physician and pharmacist."
He said there could be safer alternatives for a particular medicine or the duration of the drug use could be lessened. Marra added exercise, balance and toning have also proven to reduce the risk of falls among seniors.
One of the study co-authors, John Woolcott, added environmental factors in the home could cause a senior to fall, such as loose rugs, not having proper handrails on stairs or bar grips in bathrooms.
Woolcott spent time in local emergency rooms and interviewed about 100 seniors who had fallen.
He found that 90 per cent who came into the emergency department after their fall had suffered a hip fracture and 20 per cent of these seniors had to be admitted to a long term care facility.
"A fall in itself can be a catastrophic event for a senior," said Woolcott. "The recuperation time is so long and they can lose their independence."
He said 20 per cent of seniors who do suffer a hip fracture die within the first year.
The UBC study analysed 22 international observational studies, done between 1996 and 2007, investigating falls among people 60 years or older. The analysis included data on more than 79,000 participants who were taking prescription and/or over-the-counter medication.
Some of the other medications that were part of the study include anti-hypertensives, used to reduce blood pressure; diuretics; beta-blockers, used to treat heart conditions and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin and ibuprofen.
"Elderly people may be more sensitive to drugs' effects and less efficient at metabolizing medications, leading to adverse effects, which in turn leads to falls, " said Marra.
Canadians spend about $3 billion a year on seniors' fall injuries, according to a report on the B.C. Ministry of Health's website entitled Seniors' Falls Can Be Prevented.
B.C.'s senior population is more than 630,000, with more than 200,000 experiencing a fall each year.
