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Citation
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Denfeld QE, Goodlin S, Abedalweli R, Davis MR, Hiatt SO, Lee CS, Winters-Stone K. J. Card. Fail. 2022; ePub(ePub): ePub. |
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Abstract
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INTRODUCTION: Adults with heart failure (HF) may be at high risk for falling due to age, comorbidities, and frailty; however, few studies have examined falls in HF. The purpose of this study was to quantify the frequency and predictors of falls over one year among adults with HF.
METHODS: We conducted a prospective study of adults with New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Class I-IV HF. After baseline assessment of physical frailty and clinical characteristics, participants self-reported falls every three months over one year. Comparative statistics were used to identify baseline differences between those who fell vs. those who did not. A stepwise negative binomial regression model was used to identify predictors of fall rate over one year.
RESULTS: The sample (n = 111) was 63.4±15.7 years old, 48% women, 28% had HF with preserved ejection fraction, and 41% were frail. Over one year, 43 (39%) of participants reported at least 1 fall and 28 (25%) of participants reported 2+ falls. Among those who fell, 29 (67%) reported injurious falls. Those who fell had significantly higher body mass index and more likely to have NYHA Class III/IV, type 2 diabetes, HF with preserved ejection fraction, and meet slowness and physical exhaustion criteria than those who did not. Fall rate was elevated among those with type 2 diabetes and those meeting the slowness and physical exhaustion criteria for physical frailty.
CONCLUSIONS: Nearly 40% adults with HF experienced a fall within one year. Screening for comorbidities, slowness, and exhaustion may help identify those at risk for a fall.
Language: en |