Medication assessment: one determinant of falls risk

Medication assessment: one determinant of falls risk

Collection:
Health Policy and Services Research
Series Title(s):
Pennsylvania patient safety advisory
Contributor(s):
Pennsylvania. Patient Safety Authority.
ECRI (Organization)
Institute for Safe Medication Practices.
Publication:
[Harrisburg, Pa.] : Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority, c2008
Language(s):
English
Format:
Text
Subject(s):
Accidental Falls -- statistics & numerical data
Drug Monitoring
Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions
Medication Therapy Management
Risk Assessment -- methods
Pennsylvania
United States
Genre(s):
Technical Report
Abstract:
Medication assessment is often absent from falls assessment and reassessment. As a result, patients who are at risk for falls may receive medications that increase falls risk. In 2006, more than 4,000 of the total 33,882 falls reported to PA-PSRS were associated with concomitant use of two or more medications. Seventy percent (23,806) of the falls did not result in any patient harm, and less than 1% (17) indicated deaths associated with falls. Medication classes contributing to fall risk that were most frequently reported to PA-PSRS include anxiolytics/hypnotics, antidepressants, neuroleptics, opioid analgesics/antagonists, and insulin/oral hypoglycemics. Risk reduction strategies include recognizing the problem and involving pharmacy staff in developing medication assessment and reassessment strategies for patients at risk for falls.
Copyright:
Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further use of the material is subject to CC BY-NC-DC license. (More information)
NLM Unique ID:
101567384 (See catalog record)
Permanent Link:
http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101567384