Short-Term Risk of Serious Fall Injuries in Older Adults Initiating and Intensifying Treatment With Antihypertensive Medication.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Antihypertensive medication use has been associated with an increased risk of falls in some but not all studies. Few data are available on the short-term risk of falls after antihypertensive medication initiation and intensification.

Methods and results

We examined the association between initiating and intensifying antihypertensive medication and serious fall injuries in a case-crossover study of 90 127 Medicare beneficiaries who were ≥65 years old and had a serious fall injury between July 1, 2007, and December 31, 2012, based on emergency department and inpatient claims. Antihypertensive medication initiation was defined by a prescription fill with no fills in the previous year. Intensification was defined by the addition of a new antihypertensive class, and se

SUBMITTER: Shimbo D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4871744 | biostudies-literature | 2016 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature