Medications and falls. Causation, correlation, and prevention.

Both medication use and fall rates increase with advancing age. The increased risk of falls conferred by drugs is clearest for psychoactive agents such as long-acting benzodiazepines. The most frail patients (those likeliest to fall) also are receiving the largest drug burden, imposing considerable confounding by indication. Nonetheless, improving the drug regimen is probably one of the most effective means of reducing fall risk, especially in the frail elderly.