We've all experienced dizziness when we stand up quickly, but for the elderly who have started taking blood pressure medication, this side effect can even be fatal, not least because almost half of hip fractures in the elderly trigger a series of health problems that lead to premature death within just 12 months.
In a recent study of around 30,000 elderly people, researchers found that common blood pressure medications induce these sudden dizzy spells, caused by a temporary episode of low blood pressure, which makes people already vulnerable to balance problems even more at risk of serious injury.
"These patients require careful observation, especially when starting treatment, and that's not happening," said researcher Chintan Dave, quoted by Medical Xpress. "Caregivers think that blood pressure medication is very low risk, and that's not true in this patient population."
Analyzing the group of elderly people who suffered fractures of the hip, pelvis, humerus, radius or ulna within 30 days of starting medication, the team found that, after adjusting for potential covariates, the risk of fracture within 30 days of starting blood pressure medication was 5.4 per 100 people per year.
For people who were not taking the medication, the risk fell to less than half - 2.2 people per year.
"Bone fractures start nursing home patients on a downward spiral," said Dave. "Around 40% of people who fracture their hip die the following year, so it's really alarming to find that a class of medication used by 70% of nursing home residents more than doubles the risk of bone fracture."
Although the study does not dismiss the importance of blood pressure medication, which can even save lives, the researchers say that more attention needs to be paid to people who are starting treatment for the first time.
The scientific article with the results was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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