Relationship between the use of polypharmacy with emphasis on psychodrugs and falls in older age: a sysyematic review

Relationship between the use of polypharmacy with emphasis on psychodrugs and falls in older age

Abstract

The present study aimed to analyze the relationship between episodes of falls in the elderly and the use of polypharmacy, with an emphasis on psychotropic medications. This is a systematic review, carried out using ten studies obtained through the PubMed databases; SciElo and BVS, using the following descriptors: falls in the elderly AND psychotropic drugs AND polypharmacy AND risk of falls, in Portuguese. The articles were selected based on the inclusion criteria: Published from 2020 onwards, in Portuguese, and with full and free access; and exclusion criteria: Qualitative studies; repeated work; course completion studies; bibliographic review and articles that covered another age group in addition to the elderly. The results indicate a profile with greater vulnerability to falls, being: female; under the age of 80 and without a spouse. The studies identified a prevalence of falls in elderly individuals using psychotropic drugs. It is concluded that there is a relationship between the use of psychotropic drugs and falls, especially among older women who live alone. The importance of raising awareness about the prescription of these medications and more in-depth studies on the effects of the pharmacological class on the elderly is highlighted.