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Polypharmacy as a risk for fall occurrence in geriatric outpatients
Author(s) -
Kojima Taro,
Akishita Masahiro,
Nakamura Tetsuro,
Nomura Kazushi,
Ogawa Sumito,
Iijima Katsuya,
Eto Masato,
Ouchi Yasuyoshi
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
geriatrics and gerontology international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.823
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1447-0594
pISSN - 1444-1586
DOI - 10.1111/j.1447-0594.2011.00783.x
Subject(s) - polypharmacy , medicine , comorbidity , observational study , logistic regression , univariate analysis , geriatrics , univariate , falls in older adults , physical therapy , poison control , multivariate analysis , injury prevention , emergency medicine , psychiatry , multivariate statistics , statistics , mathematics
Objective: To investigate the predictors of falls, such as comorbidity and medication, in geriatric outpatients in a longitudinal observational study. Methods: A total of 172 outpatients (45 men and 126 women, mean age 76.9 ± 7.0 years) were evaluated. Physical examination, clinical history and medication profile were obtained from each patient at baseline. These patients were followed for up to 2 years and falls were self‐reported to their physicians. The factors associated with falls were analyzed statistically. Results: A total of 32 patients experienced falls within 2 years. On univariate analysis, older age, osteoporosis, number of comorbid conditions and number of drugs were significantly associated with falls within 2 years. On multiple logistic regression analysis, the number of drugs was associated with falls, independent of age, sex, number of comorbid conditions and other factors that were significantly associated in univariate analysis. A receiver–operator curve evaluating the optimal cut‐off value for the number of drugs showed that taking five or more drugs was a significant risk. Conclusion: In geriatric outpatients, polypharmacy is associated with falls. Intervention studies are needed to clarify the causal relationship between polypharmacy, comorbidity and falls. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2012; 12: 425–430.