Identification of the consumption of medications that increase the risk of falls in hospitalized patients

Abstract

Falls represent a significant public health issue due to their high prevalence and physical, psychological, and social impacts. Medications that affect balance and motor coordination are modifiable risk factors associated with an increased incidence of falls and hospitalizations. Accordingly, this study aimed to identify the consumption of medications that potentiate fall risk among hospitalized patients who experienced this event in a general hospital in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, between February 2023 and February 2024. Data from the Patient Safety Center were analyzed regarding medication use, assessed through the Medication Fall Risk Score (MFRS) of ISMP Brazil and the Screening Tool of Older Persons Prescriptions in older adults with high fall risk (STOPPFall). Among patients who experienced falls, 57.1% (n=40) were older adults. A total of 13,448 medication doses were consumed, of which 59% (n=8,436) posed a fall risk according to MFRS and 35% (n=5,012) according to STOPPFall. The most frequently consumed medication classes associated with fall risk were antipsychotics (24.6%), anticonvulsants (14.9%), and opioids (14.6%) according to STOPPFall, and anticoagulants (15.5%), antipsychotics (13.6%), and anticonvulsants (8.2%) according to MFRS. The study demonstrated a high consumption of fall-risk medications, particularly among older adults. These findings underscore the need for preventive measures to mitigate the impact of such medications on the health of hospitalized patients, contributing to a reduction in fall risk.