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JFSF Vol 2, No 4, December 2017, p.92-98

doi: 10.22540/JFSF-02-092

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Original Article

The correlation of specific medication groups and falls risk in elderly. A medication logbook survey

Maria Pyrgeli1, Eleni Agapiou2, Efstratios-Stylianos Pyrgelis3, Dimitrios Manaras4, Yannis Dionyssiotis5, Ismene Dontas6

  1. ELEPAP, Athens, Greece
  2. Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, “Asklepieion Voulas” General Hospital, Athens Greece
  3. 1st Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Eginition" Hospital, Athens, Greece
  4. Health Center of Salamina, Greece
  5. Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Department, European Interbalkan Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece
  6. Laboratory for Research of the Musculoskeletal System, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, KAT Hospital, Athens, Greece

Keywords: Falls, Fall-related drugs, Elderly, Questionnaire

Abstract

Falls among elderly are a common and major public health problem. Even though most falls do not lead to injury, they threaten the independence of older people causing functional decline in activities of daily living (ADLs) with substantial socioeconomic consequences. According to current literature several risk factors have been identified. Falls rarely have a single cause and the majority of them are due to a complex interaction of the age-related changes, the underlying medical condition and the medications. Some medications due to their side effects are usually called fall-risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs). We conducted a retrospective, multicentre, observational chart review study of elderly aged over 60, which aims to reveal any correlation between specific groups of medications given for the most common diseases, and falls in elderly. The sample consists of 827 participants. The data were collected by using a medication logbook which includes information about sex, age, residency, underlying diseases and the corresponding medications, incidents of fall during the last 2 years and possible fracture as a consequence of the fall.