Sedatives Put Elderly At Risk Of Falling

November 24, 2009 6:56 a.m. EST

Miami, FL (AHN) - Many elderly people fall down because of several classes of drugs prescribed to them by their physicians, according to researchers in British Columbia.

The drugs mentioned in the study included sedatives often prescribed as sleep aids and medications prescribed to treat mood disorders, lead researcher Carlo Marra, with the University of British Columbia, said in a statement.

Marra said antidepressants showed the strongest statistical link between drugs and falling. Drugs used to treat psychosis and schizophrenia, as well as valium were also significantly associated with falls, according to the statement.

Falls among the elderly can lead to injuries like hip fractures, which are the fifth-leading cause of death in the developed world, Marra said.

The study is published in the Nov. 23 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.