The recent study revealed a connection between popular medications and serious injuries. Information collected from almost 30,000 nursing home residents suggests that blood pressure medications can more than double the likelihood of life-threatening bone fractures, as per findings from Rutgers Health research. The researchers of the study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, explained that the heightened risk is due to the medications’ impact on balance, especially when patients stand up and temporarily experience low blood pressure, leading to reduced oxygen supply to the brain. Additionally, interactions with other medications may also contribute to the increased risk.
“Bone fractures can often lead nursing home patients into a negative cycle,” explained Chintan Dave, the academic director of the Rutgers Center for Health Outcomes, Policy and Economics and the primary author of the study. ”Approximately 40% of those who experience a hip fracture will pass away within the next year, so it is truly concerning to discover that a group of medications used by 70% of all nursing home residents more than doubles the risk of bone fractures.”
While many patients may have high blood pressure levels that make the benefits of treatment outweigh these risks, “It is crucial for such patients to have a balanced treatment plan that takes into account their individual health needs and potential dangers.””During the start of treatment, careful observation is crucial, and unfortunately, that’s not happening,” stated Dave. ”Caregivers tend to underestimate the potential risks of blood pressure medication, particularly in this patient group.”
The team led by Dave conducted an analysis of data from the Veterans Health Administration, involving 29,648 elderly individuals in long-term care facilities from 2006 to 2019. They compared the 30-day risk of fractures in the hip, pelvis, upper arm, and forearm for patients who initiated blood pressure medication with those who did not. The goal was to ensure that the observed differences were driven by medication use rather than any other factor.The researchers analyzed the results by taking into account more than 50 baseline factors, including patient demographics and medical history. They found that residents who started taking blood pressure medication had a 30-day fracture risk of 5.4 per 100 people per year, while those who did not take blood pressure medication had a risk of 2.2 per 100 people per year. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the use of medication was linked to a higher risk of fractures in specific subgroups. Patients with dementia, systolic blood pressure over 139, diastolic blood pressure over 79, or no recent use of blood pressure medication all experienced increased fracture risk.
A new study from Rutgers Health suggests that patients in nursing homes and assisted living facilities who are on high blood pressure medication may have a significantly higher risk of falling. The study found that these individuals are at triple the risk of fracturing a bone compared to patients who are not taking this medication.
There are about 2.5 million Americans living in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, and up to half of them experience falls each year. Of those falls, about 25 percent result in serious injuries.
The study suggests that the use of blood pressure medication is a major contributing factor to these falls, and that reducing the amount of medication and providing better support to patients could greatly decrease the occurrence of falls.
The lead researcher, Dave, emphasized the need for accurate data about the risks involved in order to find the right balance between risk and reward for caregivers. He hopes that this study will provide valuable information to help improve the care of these individuals.
“Our findings suggest that antihypertensive medication use is associated with increased risk of falls and fractures in older adults living in nursing homes,” said lead author Chintan V. Dave, PharmD, PhD, an assistant professor of clinical pharmacy at the University of California, San Diego. “These results highlight the importance of weighing the risks and benefits of antihypertensive medications in this vulnerable population and the need for individualized treatment decisions to balance blood pressure management and falls prevention to ultimately serve
