A new study shows that slower than normal blood flow in the brain due to high blood pressure and other conditions may lead to falls in elderly people.
The research will be published in the May 18, 2010, issue of the journal Neurology.
"At age 60 years, 85% of people have a normal walking ability," said study author Farzaneh Sorond, MD, Harvard Medical School, and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. "However, by age 85, only 18% of seniors can walk normally."
For the study, researchers followed 419 people age 65 years or older. Ultrasound tests were used to measure participant's blood flow in the brain. Walking speed was measured by a 4-meter walking test. The seniors and their caregivers reported any falls that occurred over two years.
The study found that the 20% of people who had the slowest rate of blood flow in the brain were at a 70% higher risk of falling compared with the 20% of people who had the highest rate of blood flow in the brain. Those with the slowest rate had an average of nearly 1.5 falls per year, compared with less than 1 fall per year for those with the highest rate.
"Our findings suggest there could be a new strategy for preventing falls, such as daily exercise and using statins and treatments for high blood pressure, since blood pressure affects blood flow in the brain and may cause falls," said Dr. Sorond.
The American Academy of Neurology has a guideline on how to identify people most at risk for falling. For more information on the guideline, visit http://www.aan.com.
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