Older adults who experience dizziness have a significantly higher risk of future falls, research has confirmed.
In a review conducted by Imperial College London, scientists have confirmed dizziness as an independent predicting factor for falls for the first time.
The researchers found that older adults experiencing dizziness were 60 per cent more likely to fall in the future than adults who did not experience dizziness.
The findings are published in Age and Ageing. The researchers advise older people experiencing dizziness to make an appointment with their GP to treat the issue and prevent falls.
Falls are the most common cause of death from injury in the over 65s and cost the NHS £2.3 billion, as well as over 4 million bed days per year. Dizziness, including vertigo, light-headedness, and disorientation, is also common in this age group, affecting over 50 per cent of those over 65. However, the extent to which dizziness is associated with future falls has not previously been reviewed.
To examine a possible association, the researchers reviewed 29 research studies involving 103,000 participants. The researchers used meta-analyses to assess whether dizziness is related to an increased risk of different types of falls in the future (including recurrent and injurious falls).
Dizziness was associated with an increased risk of any type of fall. Older adults who experience dizziness were found to be over 60 per cent more likely to fall in the future, even when other factors that may contribute to a fall were considered. In addition, the researchers found that older adults with dizziness were more likely to suffer recurrent falls and had approximately double the likelihood of falling more than once.
Dr Toby Ellmers from Imperial College London and senior author on the study said: ‘Our study conclusively shows that older people with dizziness are at high risk of experiencing falls’.
The findings emphasise the importance of assessing dizziness in fall prevention services since dizziness is often caused by distinct diagnoses with specific treatments and sometimes cures. Some of the most typical causes of dizziness in older adults are Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) and cardiovascular issues, namely orthostatic hypotension (OH), both of which can be treated through targeted interventions.
The researchers report that dizziness may be associated with an increased risk of falling through both direct and indirect factors. Direct factors may include dizziness caused by peripheral vestibular dysfunction, leading to greater difficulty maintaining balance or an upright posture, ultimately increasing the risk of falls. Indirectly, dizziness can lead to a fear of falling and result in maladaptive changes in behaviour and activity avoidance that may increase the risk of falling. More research is needed to determine the factors responsible for the association.
Dr Ellmers added: ‘Older adults with even non-bothersome dizzy spells should make an appointment with their GP, to enable early diagnosis and treatment to prevent falling. That will help to avoid a hospital admission or worse.’
