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Review
. 2019 Jun;42(3):93-96.
doi: 10.18773/austprescr.2019.011. Epub 2019 Jun 3.

Combination psychotropic medicine use in older adults and risk of hip fracture

Kerrie Westaway  1   2   3   4   5   6   7 , Natalie Blacker  1   2   3   4   5   6   7 , Russell Shute  1   2   3   4   5   6   7 , Rosemary Allin  1   2   3   4   5   6   7 , Zain Elgebaly  1   2   3   4   5   6   7 , Oliver Frank  1   2   3   4   5   6   7 , Nicole Pratt  1   2   3   4   5   6   7 , Elizabeth Roughead  1   2   3   4   5   6   7
Affiliations
Review

Combination psychotropic medicine use in older adults and risk of hip fracture

Kerrie Westaway et al. Aust Prescr. 2019 Jun.

Abstract

Older people might be embarrassed to talk about falling as they worry this may be judged as a loss of their ability to live independently. Ask older patients, at least yearly, if they ever feel unsteady on their feet or if they have fallen

Consider whether medicines may be contributing to feelings of unsteadiness or falling. Drugs such as benzodiazepines and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, particularly if taken together, are associated with a risk of falling and hip fracture

Review the patient’s treatment regimen to see if there are drugs that are no longer required. Psychotropic drugs should usually be tapered gradually so that adverse effects can be minimised

Involve a range of health professionals to identify and manage the risk of falls. Help patients stay physically active, independent and socially connected

Keywords: antipsychotics; benzodiazepines; deprescribing; opioids; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: none declared

Figures

Fig
Fig
Risk of hip fracture associated with starting psychoactive drugs
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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