Fall-Related Deaths Are On The Rise Among Seniors And Certain Prescription Drugs May Be To Blame

As your age goes up, your risk of falling does likewise. In fact, about one-quarter of all seniors who are 65 or older fall every year, according to the National Institute on Aging. Sadly, more of those falls among seniors are turning deadly.

In 2024, the National Institute on Aging released statistical data that showed an alarming uptick (41%) in fall-related deaths among seniors ages 65+ between 2012 and 2021. What's more, emerging scientific evidence suggests that certain prescription medications could be to blame.

Indeed, a 2025 article in JAMA Health Forum noted that the number of fatal falls among older adults has increased over the past three decades. Within the same period, seniors have been taking more fall risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs), which the authors felt presented a strong case for a cause-and-effect relationship.

This conclusion is supported by the findings from a 2024 study in Geriatrics and Gerontology. The study tracked the falls of 1,076 seniors (ages 69 to 91) over three years and determined that subjects who took one or more medications had at least a 73% higher incidence of falling than their peers who took no drugs. And taking FRIDs increased both the chance of a first fall and subsequent ones.

A number of medications fall under the umbrella description of FRIDs. You'll find beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, antipsychotics, opioids, antidepressants, and sedatives on the list. And a primary reason they can lead to falls involves their side effects.

There are numerous side effects of FRIDs that can contribute to a fall: sleepiness, mental fog, loss of coordination or balance, and low blood pressure. In seniors, those side effects may be more pronounced, especially if different prescribers authorize similar medications to treat a patient's problem, thereby unintentionally duplicating their efforts (via National Council on Aging).

Drug dosages can also intensify the side effects of a FRID, particularly if the amount of drug prescribed is simply too high for a patient's current needs. Physical therapist Tiffany Shubert explained to AARP that older people often require less of a drug than they once did to get the same effect. Said Shubert, "If you were prescribed Valium for anxiety in your 40s and keep taking that dose in your 70s, it could be like [taking] a double dose." (Valium is a FRID, by the way.)

What can you do if you want to avoid a fatal fall for yourself (or for a senior loved one)? If you take one or more prescription drugs — or think you take too many pharmaceutical drugs — the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests asking your (or your loved one's) physicians about easing off any FRIDs. With your healthcare provider's assistance, you may be able to swap your FRIDs for medications with fewer side effects.