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Jun 1
Did you know that there are more than 20,000 prescription medicines available to treat a range of medical conditions? Doctors prescribe medicines to help our bodies adjust to specific medical issues. However, sometimes these medications also have side effects that can lead to falls.
In this article, we’ll talk about why medications increase your fall risk and ways you can reduce that risk.
If you take more than four medications, you have a higher risk of falling. Some medications can make you feel dizzy or unsteady. They can cause blurred vision or changes in blood pressure.
It is important to tell your doctor about ALL medicines you take. This includes over-the-counter or non-prescription medicines. Your doctor can then adjust your medicine to reduce your risk.
If you have a concern about the side effects of your medicine, talk to your doctor. Do NOT stop taking any medicine without talking to your doctor first. The benefits may outweigh the risks.
Certain types of medicines cause changes in your body that increase your fall risk. A few of them are:
Certain “psychoactive” drugs can be important to help with seizures, depression, or anxiety. They can improve sleep and reduce pain. But they may also make you feel drowsy or confused. You may feel sedated or have a slowed reaction time. The sluggishness can make it harder to avoid fall risks or catch yourself if you slip or trip.
A variety of medications can lower your blood pressure. These medicines reduce your risk of stroke and heart disease, but sometimes they can also cause people to feel dizzy or even faint. If you notice side effects like dizziness when standing, tell your doctor.
People with diabetes often also have other medical conditions. This can include heart and kidney disease, neuropathy, etc. As a result, they often take multiple medicines. This is called “polypharmacy” and it increases the risk of falling. Sometimes, certain medicines can actually lower your risk of falls by reducing diabetes complications.
Sometimes a medicine that helps with one problem causes side effects from another medicine. For example, your reaction time could be slowed if you take a medicine that helps you sleep (sedative) combined with an allergy medicine (antihistamine). Certain antacids can prevent medicine from being absorbed into the bloodstream. This can make your medicines less effective. Alcohol can cause mild to serious interactions with more than 150 medications. Be sure your doctor has a current list of every medicine you take to help minimize interactions.
Though some medicines increase your fall risk, you don’t have to just accept it as a normal part of aging. The following are great ways to manage your risk:
If you have concerns about your medications increasing your risk of falling, ask your doctor the following questions:
When you receive care from a home health agency, it includes “reconciling” your medicines. That means creating a list of all the medications you take so your doctor has a current list. Your doctor can then check for any medications or side effects that could increase your fall risk.
Learn other ways home health care can reduce your risk of falls. Send us a message or call A Path of Care at (844) 301-4705. Home health services are covered by original Medicare and some other insurance plans with no out-of-pocket expense, so get in touch today.