When it comes to the drugs we prescribe, we don’t usually think twice. After all, it is easy to assume that your doctor knows what is best. However, many medications can affect people in different ways, depending on several factors, which means that these pills can be safe for some and dangerous for others. In fact, according to recent research, several prescription drugs can often endanger you if you are over 65. Read on to find out if you are taking these common medications and to get more medications to be careful. You are taking this medication, the FDA has a new warning for you.
Researchers at the University of Buffalo sought to examine the correlation of deaths due to falls and prescription drugs among people aged 65 and over between 1999 and 2017, publishing their findings on February 3 in the newspaper Pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety. According to the study, more than 563 million people aged 65 and over received at least one drug that increases the risk of falling in 2017 – which corresponds to 94% of people in this age group. And for more health concerns, if you experience it at night, you need to have a liver exam, doctors say.
Drugs that increase the risk of falling include antidepressants, anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, antihypertensives, opioids, hypnotic sedatives and benzodiazepines, such as Valium and Xanax. According to the study, the drugs that increase the risk of falling most commonly prescribed for the elderly are antihypertensive drugs, used to treat hypertension. However, the researchers also said that there was a sharp increase in the use of antidepressants, which went from 12 million prescriptions in 1999 to more than 52 million in 2017.
“The increase in the use of antidepressant drugs observed in this study is probably related to the use of these agents as safer alternatives to older drugs”, the study’s main investigator Amy Shaver, PharmD, a postdoctoral associate with the UB School of Public Health and Health Professions, said in a statement. “However, it is important to note that these drugs are still associated with an increased risk of falls and fractures among older adults.” And for the most up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls are the leading cause of injury-related death among people aged 65 and over. The fall-related death rate is about 64 deaths per 100,000 people, according to the agency. The CDC says that one in four US residents aged 65 and over report falls each year, and there are about three million falls-related emergency department visits each year. And for more guidance for older adults, if you are over 65, the CDC says you should expect this after your COVID vaccine.
The researchers say that the percentage of people aged 65 and over who receive at least one prescription for a drug that increases their risk of falling increased from 57 percent in 1999 to 94 percent in 2017. During the same period, the rate of mortality caused by falls for people in this age group also more than doubled. According to the study, “drugs that increase the risk of falling may partially explain the increase in mortality due to falls”, but this cannot be fully concluded by the current study.
“Our study indicates two trends simultaneously increasing at a population level that must be examined at an individual level,” said Shaver. “Our hope is that this will initiate more conversations among health teams about the pros and cons of prescription drugs for vulnerable populations.” And for more health warnings for the elderly, if you are over 65, you may be missing out on this COVID symptom, says the study.