title: Medication use and risk of falls.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Injuries due to falls are an important public health concern, particularly for the elderly, and effective prevention is an ongoing endeavour. The present study has two related objectives: (1) to describe associations between drug use and falls in an institutionalized population, and (2) to identify a high risk subgroup within the larger population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The initial analysis was based on a population of 227 residents who were followed over a 1-year period. Logistic regression techniques were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) of the association of falls and drug use. The study of potential 'high-risk' groups employed a case-crossover design to estimate the risk of falling associated with starting a new drug course.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Relatively weak ORs for risk of falling were observed for various drug classes; the highest OR was for benzodiazepines (BZD) at OR = 1.8 (unadjusted). Residents taking multiple drugs were at particular risk for falling, e.g. an OR of 6.1 for those using 10+ drugs. The case-crossover analysis indicated that residents starting a new BZD/antipsychotic were at very high risk (OR = 11.4) for experiencing a fall.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Residents who took many different types of medications, as well as residents starting a new BZD/antipsychotics were at greatly increased risk of falling. These are high risk groups where increased monitoring or adjustments to drug regimens could lead to prevention of falls.
authors: University of Ottawa Institute on Health of the Elderly, 43 Bruyère Street, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1N 5C8. ineutel@scohs.on.ca
authors: C Ineke
authors: CI
authors: Neutel
authors: Sheril
authors: S
authors: Perry
authors: Colleen
authors: C
authors: Maxwell
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D017891:Pharmacoepidemiology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents