Iatrogenic causes of falls in hospitalised elderly patients: a case-control study

Abstract

Objective: To explore risk factors associated with falls and to evaluate a strategy used by nurses to predict and prevent falls in a hospitalised cohort of elderly patients. Design: A case-control study of risk factors for falls in hospital. Setting: A district general hospital in the UK. Subjects: Altogether 181 patients in an acute integrated medical unit who had fallen were matched for age with 181 patients in the next bed who had not fallen. Results: It was found that 46% (84 of 181) of the fallers were taking one or more benzodiazepines compared with 27% (48 of 181) of the control patients (pConclusion: There is a need for evidenced based successful fall prevention strategies but our study also reinforces an urgent public health message that an alternative to benzodiazepines should be sought for night sedation for older patients.