Purpose: Although hypnotic drug use is a known risk factor for falls, few reports have analyzed fall risk associated with individual hypnotic drugs after adjusting for confounding factors. While it is recommended that benzodiazepine receptor agonists not be prescribed for older adults, it is unknown whether melatonin receptor agonists and orexin receptor antagonists are safe in this population. Here, we aimed to assess the influence of various hypnotic drugs on fall risk in older patients admitted to acute care hospitals.

Methods: We investigated the relationship between nocturnal falls and sleeping pill use in 8,044 hospitalized patients aged > 65 years. We used a propensity score matching method to homogenize characteristics of patients with and without nocturnal falls (n = 145 patients per group) using 24 extracted factors (excluding hypnotic drugs) as covariates.

Results: Our analysis of fall risk for each hypnotic drug revealed that benzodiazepine receptor agonists were the only drugs significantly associated with falls, suggesting that use of the drugs is a risk factor for falls in older adults (p = 0.003). In addition, a multivariate analysis of 24 selected factors, excluding hypnotic drugs, revealed that patients with advanced recurrent malignancies were at greatest risk of experiencing falls (OR: 2.62; 95% CI: 1.23-5.60; p = 0.013).

Conclusion: Benzodiazepine receptor agonists should be avoided in older hospitalized patients since they increase fall risk, with melatonin receptor agonists and orexin receptor antagonists used instead. Particularly, fall risk associated with hypnotic drugs should be considered in patients with advanced recurrent malignancies.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00228-023-03485-5DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

fall risk
20
hypnotic drugs
20
receptor agonists
20
nocturnal falls
12
hypnotic drug
12
benzodiazepine receptor
12
hypnotic
8
patients
8
older patients
8
acute care
8

Similar Publications

Background: Balance impairment is one of the causes of the risk of falls among all age groups and is a continuing threat to morbidity and mortality across the world. Previous studies stated that the vestibular system is affected in middle-aged population, which leads to imbalance and a high risk of falls. There is a lack of research in this account so this study has been done to find the effect of Cawthorne and Cooksey exercise in vestibular rehabilitation on balance control and the risk of falls among middle-age population.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Soil contamination by heavy metals (HM) is a critical area of research. Traditional methods involving sample collection and lab analysis are effective but costly and time-consuming. This study explores whether geostatistical analysis with GIS and open data can provide a faster, more precise, and cost-effective alternative for HM contamination assessment without extensive sampling.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Quadriceps weakness following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) delays rehabilitation and increases fall risk. The combined impact of tourniquets and adductor canal blocks (ACBs) on postoperative quadriceps strength has not been defined. This study evaluated the early effects of tourniquet and/or ACB usage on quadriceps strength following TKA.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Risk prediction models for falls in hospitalized older patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BMC Geriatr

January 2025

Department of Nursing, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine, and International School of Medicine, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Yiwu, 322000, China.

Background: Existing fall risk assessment tools in clinical settings often lack accuracy. Although an increasing number of fall risk prediction models have been developed for hospitalized older patients in recent years, it remains unclear how useful these models are for clinical practice and future research.

Objectives: To systematically review published studies of fall risk prediction models for hospitalized older adults.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: Many risk factors affect dementia and all-cause mortality. However, whether falls are a risk factor for dementia and all-cause mortality is unclear. The study examines the association of falls with the risk of dementia and all-cause mortality, and whether dementia mediates the association of falls with all-cause mortality.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!