For\u00a0older adults, minor falls can pose major threats, as their risk of death after a fall has tripled in the U.S. over the last 30 years.<\/p>\n
Some experts believe that\u00a0certain medications\u00a0\u2014 a category called fall risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs) \u2014 could be to blame.<\/p>\n
Dr. Thomas A. Farley, a Washington, D.C.\u2013based public health expert, writes in the medical publication JAMA that lifestyle changes alone can\u2019t explain the spike.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is plenty of reason to believe that the surge in fall deaths may be tied to the soaring use of certain prescription drugs,\u201d he writes.<\/p>\n
Farley noted that these drugs are widely used among older adults, and their use has grown over the past few decades.<\/p>\n
\u201cCutting back on unnecessary FRIDs could be a simple but powerful way to reduce fall rates and\u00a0help seniors\u00a0remain safe, independent and active as they age,\u201d the researchers wrote in the study, published in BMC Geriatrics.<\/p>\n
Seniors\u2019 risk of death after a fall has tripled in the U.S. over the last 30 years. Daniel \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n
Some doctors are categorizing certain drugs as fall risk-increasing drugs, which could be behind the fall-related deaths. New Africa \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n
What to know about FRIDs<\/p>\n
FRIDs could make people more likely to fall because they can cause drowsiness, dizziness, slower reaction times or problems with balance and coordination<\/a>, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.<\/p>\n