Role of hyponatremia and antihypertensives in falls

OBJECTIVE: Falls in older adults represent a significant public health concern. Specific drug categories represent a significant risk factor for falls, yet there is a paucity of awareness regarding this issue. The use of diuretics in the treatment of hypertension has been associated with an increased risk of complications related to electrolyte imbalance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of hyponatremia and antihypertensives in patients who have experienced a fall. METHODS: The study included a total of 322 patients who had been admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of fall-related injuries. At the time of hospital admission, the following data were recorded: age, gender, presence of disease, medications, presence of fracture, and laboratory values. Two groups, with and without hyponatremia, were compared. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 73.28 years (±14.26), and 60.2 % were female. The use of antihypertensive drugs such as hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) (p=.037), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE) (p=.045), beta-blocker (p=.041) and ACE+HCT (p=.046) was significantly higher in the group with Na≤135 mEq/L than in the group with Na≥136 mEq/L. Logistic regression analysis showed that hyponatremia was 2.2 times and female gender was 1.9 times more effective in the occurrence of fracture, furosemide use was 2.2 times, and SSRI use was 1.8 times more effective in the development of hyponatremia. CONCLUSIONS: Careful use of antihypertensives that cause hyponatremia in older adults will be effective in preventing falls and their complications.