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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 11, 2001
Contact: Pamela W. Ingham, AGS
(312) 565-1234, ext. 4115
pingham@americangeriatrics.org
Chicago-The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) has published
new clinical practice guidelines on the prevention of falls in older persons.
The guidelines were presented at the AGS 2001 Annual Scientific Meeting
in Chicago and are the results of a collaborative effort between the AGS,
the British Geriatrics Society (BGS), and the American Academy of Orthopaedic
Surgeons (AAOS).
"Falls are the fifth leading cause of death
in older persons," says Laurence Rubenstein, MD, co-chair of the
Falls Expert Panel that developed the guidelines. "People often underestimate
the seriousness of falls and fail to report them to their physicians until
injury and disability has already occurred. These guidelines will help
physicians and other health care professionals identify those patients
at risk for falls, and once evaluated, to take the appropriate steps to
help prevent future falls."
According to the guidelines, physicians can identify
those at risk by reviewing a patient's history of falls, evaluating leg
function and mobility, the ability to balance, and a person's cardiovascular
health and vision. Medications taken by the patient should be reviewed,
as well as the use of walking aids, such as a cane or walker.
"The best way to find out if a patient is at risk
for falls is to ask them if they've fallen recently," said Rubenstein.
"Once the history is established, then the doctor can determine if
the cause is environmental or if there are more serious underlying health
concerns, such as a heart condition or impaired neurological function."
The AGS has prepared a consumer guide that provides
advice on reducing the risk for falls. The guide recommends that older
people begin an exercise program that includes balance training and to
correct hazards in the home that could contribute to falling, such as
loose carpets or poor lighting.
The guidelines will appear in the May issue of the Journal
of the American Geriatrics Society. Funding for the guidelines was provided
by Medtronic, Inc. and Shire Pharmaceuticals.
The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is the premier
professional organization of health care providers dedicated to improving
the health and well being of all older adults. With an active membership
of over 6,000 health care professionals, the AGS has a long history of
effecting change in the provision of health care for older adults. In
the last decade, the Society has become a pivotal force in shaping attitudes,
policies and practices regarding health care for older people.
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