K. Koski et al., PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS AND MEDICATIONS AS PREDICTORS OF INJURIOUS FALLS BY ELDERLY PEOPLE - A PROSPECTIVE POPULATION-BASED STUDY, Age and ageing, 25(1), 1996, pp. 29-38
To determine the physiological factors and medications predicting inju
rious falls among the elderly population, the authors conducted a pros
pective study in a rural home-dwelling population aged 70 years or ove
r, initially 979 persons (377 men and 602 women), from 1 January 1991
to 31 December 1992, in Northern Finland. The independent risk factors
for all falling injuries, falls leading to minor injuries and ones le
ading to major injuries were determined. In men, the independent risk
factors for all injuries were gait disturbances [odds ratio (OR) = 3.5
] and the use of digitalis (OR = 2.2), those for minor injuries were g
ait disturbances (OR = 2.7) and the use of calcium blockers (OR = 3.0)
, and those for major injuries were the absence of a quadriceps reflex
(OR = 4.8), gait disturbances (OR = 2.8) and the use of digitalis (OR
= 2.9). In women, the corresponding independent risk factors were sho
rt step length (OR = 32.1), the use of calcium blockers (OR = 2.5) and
the use of medications for improving peripheral circulation (OR = 3.7
) for all injurious falls, path deviation (OR = 2.3), the use of calci
um blockers (OR = 2.8) and the use of anti-inflammatory drugs (OR = 2.
1) for minor injuries, and foot deformity (OR = 2.0), short step lengt
h (OR = 15.8), the use of long-acting benzodiazepines (OR = 4.0) and t
he use of calcium blockers (OR = 2.4) for major injuries. In order to
prevent injurious falls, attention should be given to the prescription
of tranquillizers, cardiovascular medications and anti-inflammatory d
rugs. The walking abilities of elderly people should be maintained and
chronic diseases leading to peripheral neuropathy should be treated a
dequately.