[Medication as a risk factor for falls resulting in severe fractures in the elderly].
Falls leading to fractures among the elderly are a major public problem. A case-control study was conducted on the use of certain drugs as a risk factor for hospitalization due to fractures after falls among individuals aged 60 years or over in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. One hundred sixty-nine cases and 315 in-patient controls were matched by age, sex, and hospital. Odds ratios (OR) adjusted for potential confounders were calculated using conditional logistic regression. Increased risk of such accidents was found for calcium channel antagonists (OR = 1.96, 1.16-3.30) and benzodiazepines (OR = 2.09, 1.08-4.05), and decreased risk was associated with diuretics (OR = 0.40, 0.20-0.80). Antacids, digitalis, and laxatives were associated with reduced risk of fractures after falls that reached borderline statistical significance (0.05 < p < 0.10). The findings highlight the need to weigh risks and benefits of medication in the elderly. It is also important to advise such individuals and their families on how to avoid falls when such medication proves necessary.
Coutinho Ed
Evandro da Silva Freire
Eda S
Departamento de Epidemiologia e Métodos Quantitativos em Saúde, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21041-210, Brasil.
Silva
Sidney Dutra da
SD
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000009:adverse effects; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000009:adverse effects; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors
D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D001569:Benzodiazepines