ArticleCNS drugs2018
Association Between Psychotropic Medication Polypharmacy and an Objective Measure of Balance Impairment Among Middle-Aged Adults: Results from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Article in CNS drugs, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 17 citations in OpenAlex.
- Association Between Polypharmacy and Physical Function in Middle-aged Adults: Findings from the CARDIA Function Study.Journal of general internal medicine · 2026Article
- Psychiatric polypharmacy in adult patients at the only referral psychiatric institute in Botswana: A cross-sectional study.PloS one · 2026Article
- Benzodiazepine Utilization in Ischemic Stroke Survivors: Analyzing Initial Excess Supply and Longitudinal Trends.Stroke · 2024Article
- The implementation of exercise therapy within hospital-based mental healthcare: Delphi study.BJPsych open · 2024Article
- Gender Differences in the Prevalence of Mental Health, Psychological Distress and Psychotropic Medication Consumption in Spain: A Nationwide Population-Based Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Gene alteration in zebrafish exposed to a mixture of substances of abuse.Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987) · 2021Article
- Complex polypharmacy in bipolar disorder: Side effect burden, adherence, and response predictors.Journal of affective disorders · 2019Article
- Psychotropic Polypharmacy in Adults 55 Years or Older: A Risk for Impaired Global Cognition, Executive Function, and Mobility.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
objectivePsychotropic medications (e.g., antidepressants, anxiolytics, and neuroleptics) are increasingly prescribed with two or more taken concurrently (polypharmacy), and have been associated with an increased risk of falling. The aim of this study was to examine the association between psychotropic medication use and balance impairment using an objective balance measure.
methodsWe derived data from participants aged 40 years and older in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999/00-2003/04) who completed the Modified Clinical Trial of Sensory Interaction and Balance and indicated current medications (n = 3090). Balance impairment was defined as failing the Modified Clinical Trial of Sensory Interaction and Balance condition 4 (standing on foam surface, eyes closed). Medication use included specific psychotropic classes, a count of psychotropic medications, and a count of non-psychotropic medications taken concurrently. Nested multiple logistic regression assessed relationships between medication use and balance impairment, adjusting for covariates and complex sampling.
resultsOne third of participants had balance impairment. After accounting for medical comorbidities, there was no relationship between individual classes of psychotropic medications and balance impairment. After adjusting for all covariates, there was a dose-response relationship between the number of psychotropic medications taken and balance impairment, with every additional medication associated with a 35% higher odds (odds ratio = 1.35; 95% confidence interval 1.07-1.70). In comparison, there was no increase in the odds of balance impairment associated with each additional medication taken for participants only taking non-psychotropic medications.
conclusionsPsychotropic medication polypharmacy is associated with an increased odds of balance impairment. Clinicians should exercise caution when prescribing combinations of psychotropic medications, and refer to physical therapy for assessment and treatment if balance impairment is detected.
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Registered trials
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