Psychotropic drugs and the risk of fall injuries, hospitalisations and mortality among older adults

• ObjectiveTo investigate whether psychotropics are associated with an increased risk of fall injuries, hospitalizations, and mortality in a large general population of older adults.MethodsWe performed a nationwide matched (age, sex, and case event day) case–control study between 1 January and 31 December 2011 based on several Swedish registers (n = 1,288,875 persons aged ≥65 years). We used multivariate conditional logistic regression adjusted for education, number of inpatient days, Charlson co-morbidity index, dementia and number of other drugs.ResultsAntidepressants were the psychotropic most strongly related to fall injuries (ORadjusted: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.38–1.45) and antipsychotics to hospitalizations (ORadjusted: 1.22; 95% CI: 1.19–1.24) and death (ORadjusted: 2.10; 95% CI: 2.02–2.17). Number of psychotropics was associated with increased the risk of fall injuries, (4 psychotropics vs 0: ORadjusted: 1.53; 95% CI: 1.39–1.68), hospitalization (4 psychotropics vs 0: ORadjusted: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.22–1.33) and death (4 psychotropics vs 0: ORadjusted: 2.50; 95% CI: 2.33–2.69) in a dose–response manner. Among persons with dementia (n = 58,984), a dose–response relationship was found between number of psychotropics and mortality risk (4 psychotropics vs 0: ORadjusted: 1.99; 95% CI: 1.76–2.25).ConclusionsOur findings support a cautious prescribing of multiple psychotropic drugs to older patients. © 2016 The Authors. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Geriatrik (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Geriatrics (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Annan medicin och hälsovetenskap -- Gerontologi, medicinsk/hälsovetenskaplig inriktning (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Other Medical and Health Sciences -- Gerontology, specialising in Medical and Health Sciences (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Psykiatri (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Psychiatry (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

aged

dementia

psychotropic drugs

Sweden

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)