Which medication class is known to be associated with an increased risk of falls in older adults?

Antihypertensives are recognized as a medication class that can lead to an increased risk of falls in older adults due to their effects on blood pressure and balance. Many antihypertensives, especially those that lower blood pressure significantly, can cause dizziness, lightheadedness, and orthostatic hypotension when a person moves from sitting or lying to standing. This, in turn, increases the likelihood of falls as older adults may struggle with maintaining their balance or may experience a sudden drop in blood pressure that compromises their stability.

While other classes of medications, such as antidepressants and analgesics, can also have side effects that might contribute to fall risk, antihypertensives are more directly linked to physiological changes that affect balance and coordination in older patients. Antidepressants may cause sedation or dizziness, and certain analgesics can lead to confusion or sedation as well. However, their primary mechanism does not specifically involve the immediate changes in blood pressure that so often precipitate falls in the elderly, as seen with antihypertensives. Antibiotics generally do not contribute to fall risk in the same way, as they typically focus on treating infections without causing significant changes to blood pressure or cognitive function.