Ninety-four percent of older Americans were prescribed a drug that increased their risk of falling in 2017, up from just 57 percent in 1999, according to a recent study published in Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety.
The study used data on prescription fills among Americans 65 and older from the National Vital Statistics System and the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.
The study also found that the rate of death caused by falls in older adults more than doubled from 1999 to 2017. The CDC says that nearly $50 billion is spent each year on medical costs related to fall injuries among older adults.
"Our study indicates two trends increasing concurrently at a population level that should be examined at the individual level," Amy Shaver, PhD, one of the study's authors, said in a March 17 new release. "Our hope is it will start more conversations on health care teams about the pros and cons of medications prescribed for vulnerable populations."
Drugs that increase the risk of falling include antidepressants, anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, antihypertensives, opioids, sedative hypnotics and benzodiazepines.
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