The incidence of falls among geriatric outpatients in relation to the number and types of drugs taken

Background. Causes of falls among people over 65 are complex because of age-related involutional changes, comorbidity and polypragmasy that exert negative influence on physical mobility.

Objectives. The purpose of this study is to assess the incidence of falls in geriatric outpatients in relation to the number and type of drugs taken.

Material and methods. The study involved 304 subjects aged 65–100 years, using ambulatory care services. The mean age of the respondents was 78.6 ± 7.4. Women constituted 77.3% of those analyzed, men – 22.7%. This survey-based study was performed using the Geriatric Environmental Inquiry.

Results. A higher number of drugs corresponded with more frequent falls (χ2 test; p < 0.05). Gender was not proved to influence the number of falls (χ² test; p > 0.05). Gender was proved to influence the number of drugs (χ² test; p < 0.05). There was a statistically significant relationship between the number of falls and taking hypotensive, anxiolytic and oral antidiabetic drugs (χ2; p < 0.05).

Conclusions. 1. The use of a higher number of drugs, irrespective of their pharmacological group, contributes to a higher number of falls, which may be associated with an interaction between particular drugs or be a consequence of a multitude of diseases predisposing to falls. 2. Polypharmacotherapy is a fall risk factor, however it is difficult to say which pharmacology group, discussed in the study, contributes most to the incidence of falls. 3. It is suggested that geriatric pharmacotherapy should be individualized to minimize the incidence of the iatrogenic geriatric syndrome, which predisposes to falls.