The Use of Fall Risk Increasing Drugs (FRIDs) in Patients With Dizziness Presenting to a Neurotology Clinic. 2015

Aisha Harun, and Yuri Agrawal
The Johns Hopkins Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

OBJECTIVE To characterize the use of fall risk increasing drugs (FRIDs) in patients with dizziness who presented to a Neurotology academic practice and to evaluate for predictors of FRID use in this population. METHODS A total of 292 subjects presented with dizziness between July 1, 2013 and December 31, 2013. METHODS Demographic information and FRID use were recorded. METHODS The prevalence and type of FRIDs (psychotropics, antihypertensives, and/or narcotics) used among participants. RESULTS The overall prevalence of any FRID use was 40.8%. Thirty-nine percent of patients were on psychotropic medications, 37% on antihypertensives, and 8.2% on narcotics. The proportion of patients on two or more FRIDs at presentation was 34%. When categorizing by age group, 40% of patients aged 50 years or greater versus 24% of younger patients (p = 0.004) were on two or more FRIDs. With every decade increase in age, the odds of being on two or more FRIDs increased by 7%. CONCLUSIONS Forty percent of all patients presenting to a Neurotology Clinic for dizziness were on a FRID. Older patients were significantly more likely to be on multiple FRIDs, specifically antihypertensives and narcotic medications. These findings suggest that to fully assess and treat older patients with dizziness, the use of these medications should be evaluated.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D011619 Psychotropic Drugs A loosely defined grouping of drugs that have effects on psychological function. Here the psychotropic agents include the antidepressive agents, hallucinogens, and tranquilizing agents (including the antipsychotics and anti-anxiety agents). Psychoactive Agent,Psychoactive Agents,Psychoactive Drug,Psychopharmaceutical,Psychopharmaceuticals,Psychotropic Drug,Psychoactive Drugs,Agent, Psychoactive,Agents, Psychoactive,Drug, Psychoactive,Drug, Psychotropic,Drugs, Psychoactive,Drugs, Psychotropic
D004244 Dizziness An imprecise term which may refer to a sense of spatial disorientation, motion of the environment, or lightheadedness. Lightheadedness,Orthostasis,Dizzyness,Light-Headedness,Light Headedness
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000058 Accidental Falls Falls due to slipping or tripping which may result in injury. Falls, Accidental,Falling,Falls,Slip and Fall,Accidental Fall,Fall and Slip,Fall, Accidental
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D012189 Retrospective Studies Studies used to test etiologic hypotheses in which inferences about an exposure to putative causal factors are derived from data relating to characteristics of persons under study or to events or experiences in their past. The essential feature is that some of the persons under study have the disease or outcome of interest and their characteristics are compared with those of unaffected persons. Retrospective Study,Studies, Retrospective,Study, Retrospective

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