Harvard Medical School has found that millions of Brits who take medication to help with conditions including anxiety, hay fever and high blood pressure are at a higher risk of suffering a fall.
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Many medicines have mild side effects, but the more pills you take, the more likely it becomes that you end up dealing with a secondary issue. As a Harvard spokesperson put it:
The more drugs you take, the greater the chance that one or a combination of them will make a fall more likely to happen.
Medicines prescribed for hypertension, for example, help reduce your risk of stroke and heart failure - but increase your chances of falling.
This medicine makes a fall 40% more likely
Antihypertensive Medications, also known as blood pressure medications, are used to treat high blood pressure in order to reduce the risk of associated complications. However, they can decrease someone’s blood pressure too much - to the point where they at risk when they stand up quickly.
A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine showed that people taking this medication were up to 40% more likely to have a serious fall than those not taking it.
Falling when you are a bit older - which many people taking this medication are - can sometimes lead to serious injuries. Dr Mary Tinetti of Yale School of Medicine explained:
Antihypertensive medications were associated with an increased risk of serious fall injuries, particularly among those with previous fall injuries.
Other medications that increase your risk of falling
Medication that affects your central nervous system (CNS) can also increase your chances of falling. This includes anti-anxiety medication like diazepam - also known as Valium- and lorazepam, which is sold as Ativan. Benadryl, an antihistamine that can bring on drowsiness, also impacts the CNS, as do several prescription sleeping drugs.
Opioids like codeine, hydrocodone and oxycodone also put you at a higher risk, as do certain antidepressants called tricyclic antidepressants. As Dr Tinetti says:
The potential harms vs benefits of antihypertensive medications should be weighed in deciding to continue treatment with antihypertensive medications in older adults with multiple chronic conditions
Those who take any of these medications and are worried about this side effect should discuss their concerns with a doctor.
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Sources used:
The Sun: DRUG ALERT Warning to millions taking common drugs over increased risk of catastrophic side effect
PMC: Antihypertensive Medications and Serious Fall Injuries in a Nationally Representative Sample of Older Adults
