Beasley and Patatanian reported the Medication Fall Risk Score for determining if a patient is at risk for falls because of current medications. The authors are from Mercy Health Center and Southwestern Oklahoma State University.
Patient selection: hospital inpatient
High risk drug classes (scored 3 points):
(1) analgesics
(2) antipsychotics
(3) anticonvulsants
(4) benzodiazepines
Medium risk drug classes (scored 2 points):
(1) antihypertensive medications
(2) cardiac drugs
(3) antiarrhythmic drugs
(4) antidepressant
Low risk drug classes (scored 1 point):
(1) diuretics
risk score =
= SUM(points for all medications being received)
Interpretation:
• minimum score: 0
• A score >= 6 is associated with risk for medication-related fall.
• Yazdani and Hall used a score >= 12 as high risk.
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