@article{ref1,
title="Frequency and predictors of falls among adults with heart failure: a prospective study",
journal="Journal of cardiac failure",
year="2022",
author="Denfeld, Quin E. and Goodlin, Sarah and Abedalweli, Rand and Davis, Mary Roberts and Hiatt, Shirin O. and Lee, Christopher S. and Winters-Stone, Kerri",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="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. <br><br>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. <br><br>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. <br><br>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.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1071-9164",
doi="10.1016/j.cardfail.2022.09.011",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cardfail.2022.09.011"
}