Falls are common amongst older adults inf licting a substantial socioeconomic burden. Aetiology is often multifactorial. Comprehensive individualised assessment is pivotal to direct effective interventions.
We provide an overview of falls and highlight an approach for acute physicians who will increasingly encounter this mode of presentation in an ageing population. [download-attachments container="div" style="list" display_icon="1" display_count="1" display__size="0"]
References
Lamb SE, Jorstad-Stein EC, Hauer K et al. ‘Development of a common outcome data set for fall injury prevention trials: the Prevention of Falls Network Europe Consensus.’ Journal of the American Geriatric Society 2005; 53: 1618-1622.
European Society of Cardiology. ‘Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of syncope (version 2009)’ European Heart Journal 2009; 30: 2631-2671.
Feder G et al. ‘Guidelines for the prevention of falls in older people.’ BMJ 2000; 321: 1007-1011.
Rubenstein LZ, Josephson KR, Robbins AS. ‘Falls in the nursing home.’ Annals of Internal Medicine 1994; 121: 442-451.
Rubenstein LZ, Josephson KR, Trueblood PR, et al. (2000) Effects of a group exercise program on strength,mobility, and falls among fall-prone elderly men, Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 55(6): M317-21.
Tinetti ME and Speechley M. ‘Prevention of falls among the elderly.’ New England Journal of Medicine 1989; 320: 1055-1059.
Kannus P, Niemi S, Parkkari J et al. ‘Hip fractures in Finland between 1970 and 1997 and prediction for the future.’ Lancet 1999; 353: 802-805.
Tinetti M, Baker DI, McAvay G et al. ‘A multifactorial intervention to reduce the risk of falling among elderly people living in the community.’ New England Journal of Medicine 1994; 331: 821-827.
Bergland A and Wyller TB. ‘Risk factors for serious fall related injury in elderly women living at home.’ Injury Prevention 2004; 10: 308-313.
Rivara FP, Grossman DC and Cummings P. ‘Injury Prevention.’ New England Journal of Medicine 1997; 337: 543-547.
American Geriatrics Society, British Geriatrics Society and American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons Panel on Falls Prevention.’ Guideline for the prevention of falls in older persons.’ Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2001; 49: 664-672.
Rubenstein LZ,Robbins AS, Josephson KR, Schulman BL, Osterweil D (1990) The value of assessing falls in an elderly population. A randomized clinical trial, Annals of Internal Medicine, 113: 308-16.
Gillespie LD, Gillespie WJ, Robertson MC, et al. (2003) ‘Interventions for preventing falls in the elderly’, (Cochrane review), in The Cochrane Library, issue 2.
Kannus P, Niemi S, Parkkari J et al. ‘Why is the age-standardised incidence of low-trauma fractures rising in many elderly populations?’ J Bone Miner Res 2002; 17: 1363-1367.
Masud T and Morris RO. ‘Epidemiology of Falls.’ Age and Ageing 2001; 30(4): 3-7.
Arfken CL et al. ‘The prevalence and correlates of fear of falling in elderly persons living in the community.’ American Journal of Public Health 1994; 84: 556-565.
Skelton D and Todd C. ‘What are the main risk factors for falls amongst older people and what are the most effective interventions to prevent these falls? How should interventions to prevent falls be implemented? WHO Europe, Health Evidence Network, Evidence for Decision makers, March 2004, 1-
Torgerson DJ, Iglesias CP, Reid DM (2001) ‘The economics of fracture prevention’, in The effective management of osteoporosis, London: Aesculapius Medical Press, 111-121.
Nevitt M. ‘Risk factors for recurrent non-syncpal falls.’ Journal of the American Medical Association 1989; 261: 2663-2668.
Tinetti M, Speechley M and Ginter S. ‘Risk factors for falls among elderly persons living in the community.’ New England Journal of Medicine 1988;319: 1701-1707.
Robbins AS et al. ‘Predictors of falls among elderly people. Results of two population based studies.’ Archives of Internal Medicine 1989; 149: 1628-1633
Falls are common amongst older adults inf licting a substantial socioeconomic burden. Aetiology is often multifactorial. Comprehensive individualised assessment is pivotal to direct effective interventions.
We provide an overview of falls and highlight an approach for acute physicians who will increasingly encounter this mode of presentation in an ageing population.
Lamb SE, Jorstad-Stein EC, Hauer K et al. ‘Development of a common outcome data set for fall injury prevention trials: the Prevention of Falls Network Europe Consensus.’ Journal of the American Geriatric Society 2005; 53: 1618-1622.
European Society of Cardiology. ‘Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of syncope (version 2009)’ European Heart Journal 2009; 30: 2631-2671.
Feder G et al. ‘Guidelines for the prevention of falls in older people.’ BMJ 2000; 321: 1007-1011.
Rubenstein LZ, Josephson KR, Robbins AS. ‘Falls in the nursing home.’ Annals of Internal Medicine 1994; 121: 442-451.
Rubenstein LZ, Josephson KR, Trueblood PR, et al. (2000) Effects of a group exercise program on strength,mobility, and falls among fall-prone elderly men, Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 55(6): M317-21.
Tinetti ME and Speechley M. ‘Prevention of falls among the elderly.’ New England Journal of Medicine 1989; 320: 1055-1059.
Kannus P, Niemi S, Parkkari J et al. ‘Hip fractures in Finland between 1970 and 1997 and prediction for the future.’ Lancet 1999; 353: 802-805.
Tinetti M, Baker DI, McAvay G et al. ‘A multifactorial intervention to reduce the risk of falling among elderly people living in the community.’ New England Journal of Medicine 1994; 331: 821-827.
Bergland A and Wyller TB. ‘Risk factors for serious fall related injury in elderly women living at home.’ Injury Prevention 2004; 10: 308-313.
Rivara FP, Grossman DC and Cummings P. ‘Injury Prevention.’ New England Journal of Medicine 1997; 337: 543-547.
American Geriatrics Society, British Geriatrics Society and American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons Panel on Falls Prevention.’ Guideline for the prevention of falls in older persons.’ Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2001; 49: 664-672.
Rubenstein LZ,Robbins AS, Josephson KR, Schulman BL, Osterweil D (1990) The value of assessing falls in an elderly population. A randomized clinical trial, Annals of Internal Medicine, 113: 308-16.
Gillespie LD, Gillespie WJ, Robertson MC, et al. (2003) ‘Interventions for preventing falls in the elderly’, (Cochrane review), in The Cochrane Library, issue 2.
Kannus P, Niemi S, Parkkari J et al. ‘Why is the age-standardised incidence of low-trauma fractures rising in many elderly populations?’ J Bone Miner Res 2002; 17: 1363-1367.
Masud T and Morris RO. ‘Epidemiology of Falls.’ Age and Ageing 2001; 30(4): 3-7.
Arfken CL et al. ‘The prevalence and correlates of fear of falling in elderly persons living in the community.’ American Journal of Public Health 1994; 84: 556-565.
Skelton D and Todd C. ‘What are the main risk factors for falls amongst older people and what are the most effective interventions to prevent these falls? How should interventions to prevent falls be implemented? WHO Europe, Health Evidence Network, Evidence for Decision makers, March 2004, 1-
Torgerson DJ, Iglesias CP, Reid DM (2001) ‘The economics of fracture prevention’, in The effective management of osteoporosis, London: Aesculapius Medical Press, 111-121.
Nevitt M. ‘Risk factors for recurrent non-syncpal falls.’ Journal of the American Medical Association 1989; 261: 2663-2668.
Tinetti M, Speechley M and Ginter S. ‘Risk factors for falls among elderly persons living in the community.’ New England Journal of Medicine 1988;319: 1701-1707.
Robbins AS et al. ‘Predictors of falls among elderly people. Results of two population based studies.’ Archives of Internal Medicine 1989; 149: 1628-1633
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Falls in older people – An overview for the acute physician
Cite this article as:
Fox JA, Fox MA. Falls in older people - an overview for the acute physician. Acute Med. 2011;10(2):99-102. PMID: 22041614.
Falls in older people – An overview for the acute physician
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