164 Association between medications and increased fall risk among older adults: implications for medication management and fall prevention interventions

Abstract

Abstract Background Falls among older adults are a significant public health concern, and certain medications have been identified as potential risk factors. The National integrated care programme for older people is prioritising services to be developed for older people in the areas of frailty, dementia and falls. Methods Information on recurrent falls, polypharmacy, and the number of falls experienced by each patient was collected retrospectively via chart review. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between STOPPfall medication use and the risk of falling, with odds ratios and p-values reported. Results Data was available on 48 patients (median age 79, range 65–92) of a total of 73 patients seen. The gender distribution was 62.5% female. Among the patients included, 31 experienced recurrent falls, and polypharmacy was observed in 35 patients. The distribution of falls in the previous year was as follows: 8 patients had three or more falls, 5 patients had two falls, 18 patients had one fall, and 14 patients did not experience any falls. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the use of antihypertensive medications was associated with an increased risk of falling, with an odds ratio of 3.85 (CI =1.08–13.75, p = 0.037). There was no statistically significant association between falls and other STOPPfall medication. Conclusion In this study, antihypertensive medications were found to be significantly associated with an increased risk of falling among older adults. These findings emphasise the importance of considering medication-related factors when assessing fall risk in this population. Further research is warranted to determine whether appropriate medication management strategies can mitigate fall risk. Effective fall prevention interventions should incorporate comprehensive medication reviews, particularly for patients on antihypertensive therapy, to optimise patient safety and reduce the burden of falls in older adults.