Alcohol and benzodiazepines in falls: an epidemiological view.
Falls are common at all ages and especially in the elderly; it is important to understand contributing causes. Over a 1-year period we studied blood alcohol (BAC) and benzodiazepine concentrations in patients attending an emergency department because of a fall. The 22% of 615 patients tested were positive for alcohol, 55% were positive for benzodiazepines (BZD) and 1.5% were positive for both substances. A significantly larger proportion of males tested positive for alcohol (40.2%) than females (7.6%). Both in males and females the percentage as well as the extent of blood alcohol levels decreased significantly with age. Benzodiazepines were also consumed more frequently in males (8.5%) than in females (3.2%, p=0.007). Concerning BAC there was no difference between males (1.75+/-0.81 g/l) and females (1.66+/-0.91 g/l). In patients older than 70 years the BAC (1.30+/-0.80 g/l) was lower in comparison to younger ones. All blood samples positive for benzodiazepines could be traced back to diazepam consumption. We found a high number of young and middle aged patients using alcohol (males=49.7%; females=18.9%) and a lower but still relevant number of benzodiazepine users (males=9.5%; females=2.4%). In addition, this study shows that alcohol plays a more important role in patients up to 70 years in fall-related accidents when compared to accidents of other causes.
Department of Biological Psychiatry, Medical University Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria. ilsemarie.kurzthaler@uibk.ac.at
Ilsemarie
I
Kurzthaler
Markus
M
Wambacher
Karl
K
Golser
Gernot
G
Sperner
Barbara
B
Sperner-Unterweger
Alexander
A
Haidekker
Marion
M
Pavlic
Georg
G
Kemmler
W Wolfgang
WW
Fleischhacker
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries
D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D001569:Benzodiazepines