What you need to know about falls

This article provides an approach to assessing a patient presenting with a fall, encompassing the cause and consequence of the event. It also highlights the need to consider both the acute and chronic factors that predispose a particular patient to fall. Chronic factors such as frailty, sarcopenia, cognitive impairment, and continence issues are often under-recognised and, as a result, not managed optimally. A comprehensive geriatric assessment is an ideal structure to identify modifiable risks. Practical interventions that can be of benefit to minimise a patient's risk of falling include a medication review, assessment of their mobility and their environment. In addition, continence review and visual assessment may be appropriate.PMID:34191562 | DOI:10.12968/hmed.2020.0747
Source: British Journal of Hospital Medicine - Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Source Type: research