Association between gaps in antihypertensive medication adherence and injurious falls in older community-dwelling adults: a prospective cohort study.

ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVE:Growing evidence suggests that older adults are at an increased risk of injurious falls when initiating antihypertensive medication, while the evidence regarding long-term use of antihypertensive medication and the risk of falling is mixed. However, long-term users who stop and start these medications may have a similar risk of falling to initial users of antihypertensive medication. Our aim was to evaluate the association between gaps in antihypertensive medication adherence and injurious falls in older (?65?years) community-dwelling, long-term (??1?year) antihypertensive users. DESIGN:Prospective cohort study. SETTING:Irish Community Pharmacy. PARTICIPANTS:Consecutive participants presenting a prescription for antihypertensive medication to 106 community pharmacies nationwide, community-dwelling, ?65 years, with no evidence of cognitive impairment, taking antihypertensive medication for ?1?year (n=938). MEASURES:Gaps in antihypertensive medication adherence were evaluated from linked dispensing records as the number of 5-day gaps between sequential supplies over the 12-month period prior to baseline. Injurious falls during follow-up were recorded via questionnaire during structured telephone interviews at 12?months. RESULTS:At 12?months, 8.1% (n=76) of participants reported an injurious fall requiring medical attention. The mean number of 5-day gaps in medication refill behaviour was 1.47 (SD 1.58). In adjusted, modified Poisson models, 5-day medication refill gaps at baseline were associated with a higher risk of an injurious fall during follow-up (aRR 1.18, 95%?CI 1.02 to 1.37, p=0.024). CONCLUSION:Each 5-day gap in antihypertensive refill adherence increased the risk of self-reported injurious falls by 18%. Gaps in antihypertensive adherence may be a marker for increased risk of injurious falls. It is unknown whether adherence-interventions will reduce subsequent risk. This finding is hypothesis generating and should be replicated in similar populations.

SUBMITTER: Dillon P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6429731 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature