Falls of female patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases – assessment of potential risk factors and individual ability to cope after an accidental fall

Marek Zak¹, Tomasz Grodzicki²

Summary
Background: Accidental falls are feared by an increasing number of elderly persons as a symptom of ageing, giving them a fear of becoming care-dependent as a result of a serious fall.
Materials and methods: The study group comprised 40 female patients (aged 65-94) in the Geriatric Ward, of the Municipal Medical & Nursing Facility, Krakow, under treatment for cardiovascular diseases. Each of them was reported to have sustained at least one fall prior to hospitalisation.
The study focused upon assessing the risk of falls and individual functional abilities, in accordance with Pilet and Swine´s method. A 3-week long rehabilitation programme included an individually structured exercise programme, designed to assist in reducing the risk of falls, and offering practical guidance on how to cope after a fall.
Results: In the test assessing risk of falls, 15-35% of patients were reported to experience improvement; statistical significance ranged from 0.007 to 0.04.
In the test assessing ability to cope after a fall, 15-23% of patients experienced improvement; statistical significance ranged from 0.008 to 0.04.
Conclusions: A specifically structured programme of physical rehabilitation was effective in preventing accidental falls in elderly females with hypertension, as well as increasing individual ability to cope effectively after an accidental fall.

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