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.
Patients: A total of 292 subjects presented with dizziness between July 1, 2013 and December 31, 2013.
Intervention: Demographic information and FRID use were recorded.
Main outcome measure: 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.