Recent Opioid Use Associated with Increased Risk of Falls in Older Adults, Study Finds

​Researchers confirm an association between recent opioid use and fall-related injuries among older adults in a study published in the April 2018 issue of CMAJ. The study reviewed registry data from 67,929 trauma patients over the age of 65 (average age of 81) in Quebec between 2004 and 2014. Patients with a recent opioid prescription were 2.4 times more likely to experience a fall-related injury than any other type of injury and were 58% more likely to die in the hospital when compared with trauma patients who did not have an opioid prescription.