3054 Use of falls risk increasing drugs in older people, before and after hospitalisation with a fall

Abstract Introduction World Falls guidance [1] recommends medication review as part of multifactorial risk assessment for those at high risk of falling. Use of Falls Risk Increasing Drgs (FRIDs) [2], polypharmacy and anticholinergic burden are known to increase risk of falls in older people [3]. This prospective observational study was conducted to assess if polypharmacy, prescription of FRIDs and anticholinergic burden [4] improve after hospitalisation with a fall. Method Data gathered from electronic medication records, for patients aged ≥65 years, taking ≥4 medicines, at hospital admission with a fall, at discharge, and at 3 months after discharge included number of medications prescribed, number of Falls Risk Increasing Drgs (FRIDs) prescribed [2] and anticholinergic burden (ACB) score [4]. Results Patients were included from March 2023 until May 2024. Mean age was 81 ± 8.58 years and 80% of patients were female (n = 90). The mean number of medicines per patient was 8.05 ± 0.37(SE) at hospital admission, increasing by 32% to average 10.66 ± 0.39, three months after discharge (p < 0.001). The mean number of FRIDs per patient increased by 7.8% from 2.44 ± 0.16 at hospital admission to 2.63 ± 0.17 three months after discharge (p = 0.057). Most common FRIDs were bisoprolol, furosemide, codeine, amlodipine and amitriptyline. Codeine was the most common FRID started after discharge (n = 13; 12% of patients). ACB score increased by 18% to 2.40 ± 0.21 at 3 months following discharge compared to 2.04 at admission (p = 0.003). Furosemide, codeine, amitriptyline, sertraline and diazepam were the top medicines with anticholinergic burden. Conclusion Three months after discharge from hospital following a fall, older people experience increased polypharmacy and anticholinergic burden and are prescribed more Falls Risk Increasing Drgs, compared to at the time of hospital admission.