One in four Americans fall each year with the elderly population at greater risk than other groups. Fainting and falls are leading health concerns for the elderly. Knowing the cause of these falls could help prevent them. Researchers from Denmark sought to identify one such cause and studied the connection between atrial fibrillation medication and falls. They determined that this medication significantly increased fall risk.
About Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation is a medical condition that involves the heart contracting rapidly and irregularly. Patients may experience the condition continuously or occasionally. Atrial fibrillation can cause balance issues. It is considered the most common irregular heart rhythm in elderly patients. About 3 to 6 percent of individuals over age 65 have this condition.
Healthcare providers often prescribe medications to patients with this condition that controls their heart rate to prevent the symptoms of this condition. However, these medications may have the dangerous side effect of increasing the risk of falls.
About the Study
The Denmark researchers examined health data to identify patients between 65 and 100 years of age when they were first diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. They examined more than 100,000 medical records for patients age 65 and older who filled prescriptions for heart rhythm medications. The medications that patients were beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers and amiodarone, digoxin, flecainide and propafenone.
The researchers evaluated records for over two years, searching for cases involving patients who took these medications and had emergency room visits or hospital admissions for fall-related injuries, fainting or both.
The study was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Study Findings
Researchers found that taking atrial fibrillation medication may increase the risk of patients having falls and fall-related injuries. Specifically, they found that patients who took these medications corresponded to the following statistics:
- 17 percent had a fall-related injury
- 7 percent had a fainting episode
- 9 percent had a fall-related or fainting-related injury
When researchers compared all medications and risk of falls, they found that amiodarone was connected to increased risk of fall or fainting-related injuries, whether the medication was prescribed alone or in combination with other heart rhythm drugs. The connection was greatest within the first two weeks of treatment but was still present even after long-term treatment. Digoxin was only slightly associated with fall-related injuries.
Talk to a Health Care Professional
Studies of this nature highlight the importance of being informed about the possible side effects of treatment, including medication. Knowing the increased fall risk associated with some of these medications can better inform treatment decisions and can form the basis of a conversation between a patient and his or her health professional.
