From Hospitals Aim to Curb Injuries From Falling; Risk for Young Patients:
Hospitals are taking a series of steps to prevent one of the most surprising and dangerous hazards facing patients: falls that can lead to severe injury or even death.There are more than one million falls among hospital patients annually, researchers estimate, with 30% or more resulting in moderate to severe injuries such as hip fractures and head injuries that can be life-threatening. And while falls have long been considered a problem primarily for elderly patients in nursing homes, recent studies show that virtually every hospitalized patient is at risk, including younger, healthier people.
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Patients left in certain positions for surgery have fallen off tables onto their heads, resulting in brain injury, she adds, and patients may also try to get up and walk after surgery before they are steady on their feet.Drugs such as hypnotics, sedatives, analgesics, anti-hypertensives, laxatives and diuretics increase the risk of falling; if patients are on several drugs at once, the risk of falling is even more severe. Patients are also at higher risk if they try to move when attached to equipment such as IV tubes, or if they suffer from “postural hypotension,” a sudden drop in blood pressure when they rise quickly to a standing position. Otherwise healthy patients may also be at risk for falling for short periods of time, such as right after returning to the hospital bed from physical therapy.