Notes

Polypharmacy and Falls in Elderly Patients
The risk of falls in the elderly is high due to the physical and cognitive changes that are associated with ageing. Falls often incur a lot of medical expenses. However, it is important to understand that underlying medical conditions and medications may also play a role.

Several studies have reported a correlation between polypharmacy and falls in older adults. These studies used self-reported data and short follow-up periods. personal alarms AU In addition, several meta-analyses have shown an association between falls and psychotropic drugs. Other studies have also found an association with cardiological and analgesic drugs. Among these, polypharmacy was identified as a significant risk factor.

Researchers evaluated the relationship between medication use and fall risk in elderly patients in a transversal analytical study. They collected data from participants' medication logbooks, which include information about sex, age and residency.

Polypharmacy is a chronic co-prescription of multiple medications. This increases the possibility of drug-disease interactions, as well as the potential for side effects. Consequently, it is important for health care providers to look for signs of problematic polypharmacy during annual wellness examinations.

A population-based case control study conducted in the United Kingdom found that hospitalization due to a fall was significantly increased with polypharmacy. For those with nine or more medications, the cumulative incidence curve was steeply increasing. Moreover, the incidence was significantly higher in those with a previous fall.

Another study aimed to examine the correlation between physical activity and medication use in the elderly. It included eight hundred and twenty-seven subjects. Using medication logbooks, researchers compiled data on the subjects' use of medication, including the number of medications they took and their underlying disease.
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