In a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine falls among elderly people are significantly associated with several classes of drugs, including sedatives often prescribed as sleep aids and medications used to treat mood disorders.

Antidepressants showed the strongest statistical association with falling. Anti-psychotics often used to treat schizophrenia and other psychoses and drugs such as valium were also significantly associated with falls.

The study notes that “Safer alternatives, such as counseling, shorter-term or less-sedating therapies, may be more appropriate for certain conditions.”

Painkillers were found not to be statistically associated with falling.

“Elderly people may be more sensitive to drugs’ effects and less efficient at metabolizing medications, leading to adverse events, which in turn lead to falls,” researchers added.

Prescribing medications to seniors has increased substantially over the past decade. In addition, determining which medication classes are associated with falls remains a challenge since seniors are often on multiple medications for multiple health conditions, with new drugs entering the market on a regular basis.

You may want to check your elders’ medicine inventory when visiting and be on the lookout for any unsteadiness and tendency to fall. If you are particularly concerned call their doctor and initiate a conversation.