Medication and falls: risk and optimization

Abstract

The association between drugs and falls has been widely studied in the past 3 decades, with increasingly robust evidence of a causal link. Both specific classes of drugs and the total number of drugs taken are associated with falls. This review examines some of the reasons why older people are at greater risk of drug-related adverse events such as falls. We discuss the role of drugs in general and polypharmacy (the concurrent use of multiple drugs) on the risk of falling, with a focus on community-dwelling older people. We critically appraise the evidence that specific classes of drugs, such as benzodiazepines and antidepressants, increase the risk of falling and that falls can be prevented through interventions that target medications.