Blood Pressure & Falls

Antihypertensive medications have been associated with an increased risk of serious fall injuries, a new study has found. ‘Antihypertensive medications and serious fall injuries in a nationally representative sample of older adults’, published in JAMA Internal Medicine , found of 4,961 participants older than 70 years with hypertension, of which 85.9% took antihypertensive medications, 446  articipants, or 9%, experienced serious fall injuries and 16.9% died.

Potential harms vs benefits of the medications should be weighed in deciding to continue treatment in older adults with multiple chronic conditions, the study said.

Click here for full study details.

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Source: pharmacydaily.com.au, Wednesday 26 February 2014