MEDS THAT INCREASE YOUR RISK OF FALLING

Tinkrbl44 · ‎08-23-2010

I get a daily Healthbeat email from Harvard Medical School, and always find it very informative. To avoid the ads, I cut and pasted this info, but wanted to indicate where this came from.

I found some of this to be very surprising ... what do you think? Could this affect someone you know?

Medications that increase your risk of falling

Many drugs can increase the risk of falls. The more drugs you take, the greater the chance that one or a combination of them will make a fall more likely to happen. Some medications are well known for side effects that increase a person's risk of falling.

Get your copy of Preventing Falls

Keeping your balance and preventing a fall just got easier, thanks to Preventing Falls, from the experts at Harvard Medical School. This information-packed guide explains how your body works to keep you balanced, and the health problems, medications, and home-hazards that can set you up for a fall. And it provides specific ways to help you improve your balance and maintain your mobility.

Doctors prescribe anti-hypertensive medications to keep blood pressure under control and decrease the risk of stroke and heart failure. However, these drugs can cause blood pressure to get too low when you stand up from a lying or sitting position (orthostatic hypotension). This happens commonly in older folks. The result is lightheadedness and feeling faint, which can easily lead to a fall.

Medications that suppress the central nervous system are among those most likely to contribute to falling, as they reduce alertness and cause slower reactions and movements. These include:

Anti-anxiety drugs, such as diazepam (Valium) and lorazepam (Ativan)
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl), an older antihistamine. Because it causes drowsiness, it is the most popular ingredient in over-the-counter sleep aids like Nyquil, Sominex, and Unisom. It is often combined with pain medications, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol PM), ibuprofen (Motrin PM, Advil PM), and naproxen (Aleve PM).
Prescription medications to treat overactive bladder, such as oxybutynin (Ditropan) and tolterodine (Detrol).
Tricyclic antidepressants. Most often doctors prescribe these types of antidepressants, such as amitriptyline (Elavil), to help relieve chronic pain, especially nerve pain.
Prescription sleep drugs, including zolpidem (Ambien), zaleplon (Sonata), and eszopiclone (Lunesta).
Narcotics (opioids), such as codeine, hydrocodone (Vicodin), oxycodone (Percodan, Percocet), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), and fentanyl (Duragesic).

To learn more about ways to stay safe and on your feet, read the Harvard Medical School Guide, Preventing Falls.

Annabellethecat66 · ‎03-12-2010

Probably as many as 2/3rds or more meds can increase your chance of falling.

Many or most of them cause dry mouth. I don't know what's in them that causes dry mouth, but it will often say....'can cause dry mouth'. Dry mouth has caused me to have a lot of trouble with my teeth. I actually take medicine to increase saliva.

Tinkrbl44 · ‎08-23-2010

@Annabellethecat66 wrote:
Probably as many as 2/3rds or more meds can increase your chance of falling.

Many or most of them cause dry mouth. I don't know what's in them that causes dry mouth, but it will often say....'can cause dry mouth'. Dry mouth has caused me to have a lot of trouble with my teeth. I actually take medicine to increase saliva.

@Annabellethecat66

If you haven't already done so, try ACT Dry Mouth Spray. Not only does the minty flavor freshen your breath, but it's really very effective. Found in the dental aisle, just about everywhere.

Annabellethecat66 · ‎03-12-2010

Thanks for the info but I've tried everything over the counter.

I take a prescription medicine and it words well. I still have to monitor my intake of sodium.

kjae · ‎07-24-2012

Coincidence. I was just checking how to take vitamin c with levothyroxine(thyroid) this morning and within the list of possible side effects of taking levothyroxine is "falling".

suzyQ3 · ‎03-09-2010

This is especially important info for older women with osteoporosis.

~Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle~ Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

I think a great many medications can effect equilibrium or make us light headed. That's why it's important to read labels carefully.

Georgiagrama · ‎03-19-2010

My blood pressure medicine does this. I have lost my balance a lot more lately and have the cuts and bruises to prove it.

I think it's time to talk to my Doctor. Being older, I am aware that a serious fall could do me in.

hckynut · ‎03-10-2010

Hi @Tinkrbl44

I was on BP meds after heart attack #2. Never had high BP before or after heart attack #1. My Cardiologist however wanted my BP to be as low as possible without it effecting me. Pretty consistent Med, other than it becoming a Generic, no changes.

The starting dose was too much and effected me when even bending over to pick up a cat toy on the floor. He cut my med dosage in half and that was not enough. Finally got the right dosage and took it for about 9 years.

It appears this Harvard study wants me to buy a book or something, as it says Order a Copy Now! The link did have some good tips, 1 specifically is "eyesight". Ever have an incident when going down steps, thinking you are on the last one, and you are not? My wife did, broke and dislocated her elbow. 8 weeks in a cast. I have done this, but caught myself in time.

A couple years ago I decided I wanted a Teeter Inversion Table and that is a no-no when on BP meds. So I asked my Cardiologist to take me off the BP med. He said try no meds for a month and get a recheck. He then took me off and I bought my Teeter.

It certainly effected my BP when rising from sitting or lying too quickly, but nothing else. But if I didn't allow time for blood to return to my head? Not good!

Now when I decided to return to ice skating st 78 and 14 years of no skating? Was a disaster and to avoid breaking more bones I went to Balance PT for 12 weeks and off days did 45 minutes working on balance. Still fell a lot, but on ice at 79? That is a given, but my balance was/is much better.

Now after not skating for 7 months I will be going Wednesday. Balance on skates? Beats me, but I plan on being close to the boards until I get it figured out. Unfortunately balance is not stable from 1 day to the next on ice skated so?? Will see.

A friend of mine, half my age, was worried about remembering how to skate. He compared it to "riding a bike"! I told him that "I remembered" how to skate, but memory is not the issue. The lower body doesn't always work in conjunction with what I remember.

I told him he would be fine, but as he gets older he will find out that "balance" has more to do with skating than remembering how to skate. Now for me it's a wait and see. Last time I was 78, this time I am 81! Hmmm.

hckynut

hckynut(john)