Reduce your risk of falling in 2025

 The following information is from Canadian Medication Appropriateness and Deprescribing Network, November 2024

Falling for seniors can have serious consequences. Falls can change your life, or they can end your life. There are many risk factors that can contribute to falls. Among them, did you know that medications can increase the risk of falling? In fact, the more medications you take, the greater your risk of falling. This is a direct result of what is called  “medication overload". Researchers have estimated that our risk of falling increases by 75% when we take as few as four medications! However, it’s important to recognize that not all medications increase the risk of falling to the same degree.

Certain types of medications increase the risk of falls. Different types of medications can increase our risk of falls by affecting the way our body works. Here are a few examples:

·         Some medications can cause dizziness or drowsiness, making us less alert, affecting our coordination and potentially causing us to lose our balance.

·         Some medications cause our blood pressure or heart rate to drop, which increases the risk of dizziness and low blood pressure. This is particularly true when changing positions: for example, when moving from lying down to standing up.

·         Some medications lower blood sugar levels. When blood sugar levels become too low (called hypoglycemia), it can make us feel weak or cause us to faint, leading to falls.

Ten Medications that increase your risk of falls

1. Sleeping pills

2. Antidepressants

3. Opioids

4. Diabetes medications

5. Diuretics for increased urination

6. Antipsychotics

7. Anti-epilepsy

8. Muscle relaxants

9. Prostate medications

10. Medications that dilate blood vessels.

What can you do? Start a conversation. Good communication with your doctor, pharmacist and/or nurse is essential to ensure safe and effective health care. To start a conversation, here are some questions you can ask about your medications:

1. Why am I taking this medication?

2. What are the potential benefits and harms of this medication?

3. Can it affect my memory or cause me to fall?

4. Can I stop or reduce the dose of this medication (i.e. deprescribing)?

5. Who do I follow-up with and when?

If you don't know the answers to the above questions, ask your health care provider at your next visit. Remember to bring a complete list of your medications.