Falls are a major public health concern in the older population, and certain medication classes are a significant risk factor for falls. However, knowledge is lacking among both physicians and older people, including caregivers, concerning the role of medication as a risk factor. In the present statement, the European Geriatric Medicine Society (EuGMS) Task and Finish group on fall-risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs), in collaboration with the EuGMS Special Interest group on Pharmacology and the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS) Geriatric Medicine Section, outlines its position regarding knowledge dissemination on medication-related falls in older people across Europe. The EuGMS Task and Finish group is developing educational materials to facilitate knowledge dissemination for healthcare professionals and older people. In addition, steps in primary prevention through judicious prescribing, deprescribing of FRIDs (withdrawal and dose reduction), and gaps in current research are outlined in this position paper.
- MeSH
- Anticonvulsants adverse effects MeSH
- European Union MeSH
- Geriatrics methods standards MeSH
- Sodium Potassium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors adverse effects MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Analgesics, Opioid adverse effects MeSH
- Polypharmacy MeSH
- Psychotropic Drugs adverse effects MeSH
- Risk Factors MeSH
- Aged, 80 and over MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Accidental Falls prevention & control statistics & numerical data MeSH
- Age Factors MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Aged, 80 and over MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Geographicals
- Europe MeSH
