Psychotropic drugs and falls in the elderly people: updated literature review and meta-analysis.
OBJECTIVE
To carry out meta-analyses on psychotropic drugs and to provide an update of the risk of falling in the elderly people related to psychotropic drugs.


METHODS
Meta-analyses of studies on psychotropic drugs.


RESULTS
177 studies are included, of which 71 have data on risk factors associated with psychotropic drugs. The odds ratio and 95% Cl for associations between use of psychotropic drugs and fall are 1.78 and 1.57-2.01, respectively. This result is statistically heterogeneous. This heterogeneity disappears in the group of very old participants for each class.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study confirms the association between falls in the elderly people and psychotropic drugs. These results are similar to those of former meta-analyses but with different methods. It shows that these meta-analyses on psychotropic drugs have a small impact on prescribing habits. They only give evidence to support the association between psychotropic drugs and falls even if there is no proven link.
Department of Gerontology, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (Hôpital Broca), France. Frederic.bloch@brc.aphp.fr
Frédéric
F
Bloch
Marie
M
Thibaud
Benoit
B
Dugué
Cyril
C
Brèque
Anne-Sophie
AS
Rigaud
Gilles
G
Kemoun
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D005853:Geriatrics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors
D011619:Psychotropic Drugs