Medicine Use among Older Australians Before and After Hip Fracture.

Background: Hip fracture impacts on quality of life and may lead to premature death. In Australia, the extent of use of medicines that increase risk of falls or hip fracture in at-risk older people is not known. Aim: To determine the use of medicines associated with falls or hip fracture before hip fracture and whether medicine use changed after hip fracture. Method: Data from the Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs healthcare claims database were used. The cohort included patients aged > 65 years who were hospitalised for hip fracture in 2009. Percentages of patients using medicines associated with falls or hip fracture were calculated in the 6 weeks before hospitalisation for hip fracture. McNemar's test was used to assess changes in medicines used before admission and after discharge from hospital. Results: 2235 patients with a median age of 87 years had hip fractures in 2009. At least 1 medicine that increases risk of falls or hip fracture was used by 84% of patients before admission. Of the drug classes that increase risk of falls or hip fracture, the 4 most commonly dispensed before admission were antihypertensives (63%), antidepressants (29%), benzodiazepines (26%) and opioids (19%). After discharge, the use of antipsychotics (p < 0.0001), opioids (p < 0.0001), benzodiazepines (p = 0.0009) and antidepressants (p = 0.01) increased significantly. Conclusion: Most older patients used at least 1 medicine that increases the risk of falls or hip fracture before and after hip fracture. Antipsychotic, opioid, benzodiazepine and antidepressant use increased significantly after hospital discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]