AI Article Synopsis
- Falls and fractures significantly impact older adults, leading to increased healthcare costs, especially for those with overactive bladder (OAB) and higher anticholinergic medication use.
- A study of over 154,000 adults with OAB revealed that resource utilization like hospital visits and medication usage was highest among individuals with greater anticholinergic burden, particularly after experiencing a fall or fracture.
- The research found that older adults (ages 66-75) with a high anticholinergic burden faced the highest predicted annual healthcare costs, emphasizing the need for awareness of medication impacts on fall risk in this population.
Article Abstract
Background: Falls/fractures are major causes of morbidity and mortality among older adults and the resulting health consequences generate a substantial economic burden. Risk factors are numerous and include overactive bladder (OAB) and anticholinergic use.
Objectives: We aimed to estimate the impact of falls/fractures on all-cause healthcare resource utilization and costs, according to levels of cumulative anticholinergic burden, among individuals with OAB.
Methods: Among a US cohort of adults with OAB (identified based on medical claims for OAB or OAB-specific medications), the frequency of resource utilization (outpatients visits, medication use, and hospitalizations) was examined according to level of anticholinergic burden. Anticholinergic burden was assessed cumulatively using a published measure, and categorized as no, low, medium, or high. Resource utilization prior to and after a fall/fracture was compared. Generalized linear models were used to examine overall and incremental changes in healthcare resource utilization and costs by fall/fracture status, and annual costs were predicted according to age, sex, fall/fracture status, and level of anticholinergic burden.
Results: The mean age of the OAB cohort (n = 154,432) was 56 years, 68% were female, and baseline mean anticholinergic burden was 266.7 (i.e. a medium level of burden); a fall/fracture was experienced by 9.9% of the cohort. All estimates of resource utilization were higher among those with higher levels of anticholinergic burden, regardless of fall/fracture status, and higher for all levels of anticholinergic burden after a fall/fracture. Among those with a fall/fracture, the highest predicted annual costs were observed among those aged 66-75 years with high anticholinergic burden (US$22,408 for males, US$22,752 for females).
Conclusions: Falls/fractures were associated with higher costs, which increased with increasing anticholinergic burden.
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| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7895881 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s41669-020-00215-w | DOI Listing |
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Article Synopsis
- The study investigated the link between anticholinergic burden (ACB) and orthostatic hypotension (OH) in frail older adults aged 65 and above.
- Findings revealed that 41.4% of participants were exposed to anticholinergic medications, with a notable association between high ACB and increased risk of OH (OR: 4.14).
- The research emphasizes the need for careful consideration of anticholinergic medications in this population to prevent drops in blood pressure when standing.
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