Prevalence of drugs other than alcohol in patients presenting to hospital for injurious falls, organised by drug type and country
| First author (year)ref | Country (study duration) | Sample type | Proportion tested, n/N (%) | Patients with fall-related injuries, n/total patients in the study, N (%) | Drugs tested for (concentration cut-off, ng/mL) | Prevalence, n/N(%) |
| Any drugs other than alcohol | ||||||
| Ekeh (2014)36 | USA (January 2006–December 2010) | Urine | 499/4139 (12.1) | 2401/4139 (58) | Various drugs, not specified (NR) | NR/NR (46.2) |
| Martin (2017)39 | USA (September 2013–March 2015) | Serum/urine | NR | 3357/10 191 (32.9) | Barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cocaine, opiates, phencyclidine, tetrahydrocannabinol and tricyclic antidepressants (NR) | 349/3357 (7.4) |
| Strong et al (2016)48 | USA (January 1997–December 2008) | Urine | 23 004/46 226 (49.8) | 7541/7541 (100) | Various drugs, not specified (NR) | 1332/3577 (37.2) |
| Yue (2020)52 | USA (2010–2012) | Urine | 133/515 (25.8) | 63/133 (47.4) | Various drugs, not specified (NR) | 15/63 (23.8) |
| McAllister (2013)40 | UK (January 2011–January 2012) | Urine | 93/105 (88.6) | 13/105 (12.4) | Amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cannabinoids, cocaine metabolites, methadone and opioids (NR) | 5/13 (38.5) |
| Cordovilla-Guardia (2018)34 | Spain (31 non-consecutive months between November 2011 and June 2015) | Urine | 1187/1818 (65.3) | 433/929 (46.6) | Amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cannabis, cocaine, methadone, methamphetamines, opiates and tricyclic antidepressants (NR) | 135/433 (31.2)
|
| Benzodiazepines, opioids and other prescription medications | ||||||
| Bogstrand (2011)30 | Norway (December 2007–December 2008) | Blood | 1882/2118 (88.9) | 605/1272 (47.6) | Alprazolam (4.63), buprenorphine (0.58), carbamazepine (591), carisoprodol (651), clonazepam (4.74), codeine (2.99), dextropropoxyphene (34), diazepam (28.5), ethylmorphine (6.27), flunitrazepam (0.78), meprobamate (546), methadone (31), morphine (2.85), nitrazepam (7.03), oxazepam (143), oxycodone (7.89), phenobarbital (2,322), zolpidem (7.68), zopiclone (9.72) | NR/NR (23) |
| Cordovilla-Guardia (2018)34 | Spain (31 non-consecutive months between November 2011 and June 2015) | Urine | 1187/1818 (65.3) | 433/929 (46.6) | Benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants, barbiturates and/or prescribed opioids (NR) | 84/433 (19.4)
|
| McAllister (2013)40 | UK (January 2011–January 2012) | Urine | 93/105 (88.6) | 13/105 (12.4) | Barbiturates (200) | 0/13 (0) |
| Benzodiazepines (200) | 3/13 (23.1) | |||||
| Methadone (275) | 0/13 (0) | |||||
| Opioids (300) | 2/13 (15.4) | |||||
| Cannabis | ||||||
| Banks (2019)26 | USA (1 January 2012–21 December 2016) | Blood/urine | Patients without toxicology data were excluded | 395/21 276 (1.6) | Cannabis (NR) | High falls: 160/395 (40.5) |
| Nguyen (2014)42 | USA (1 January 2010–31 December 2012) | Urine | 446/538 (82.9) | 219/538 (40.7) | Tetrahydrocannabinol (50) | 28/219 (12.8) |
| McAllister (2013)40 | UK (January 2011–January 2012) | Urine | 93/105 (88.6) | 13/105 (12.4) | Cannabinoids (50) | 0/13 (0) |
| Cordovilla-Guardia (2018)34 | Spain (31 non-consecutive months between November 2011 and June 2015) | Urine | 1187/1818 (65.3) | 433/929 (46.6) | Cannabis (NR) | 5/433 (1.2)
|
| Other drugs | ||||||
| Bogstrand (2011)30 | Norway (December 2007–December 2008) | Blood | 1882/2118 (88.9) | 605/1272 (47.6) | Illicit drugs, not specified (various) | NR/NR (5) |
| Cordovilla-Guardia (2018)34 | Spain (31 non-consecutive months between November 2011 and June 2015) | Urine | 1187/1818 (65.3) | 433/929 (46.6) | Cocaine, amphetamines and/or methamphetamines (NR) | 6/433 (1.4)
|
| McAllister (2013)40 | UK (January 2011–January 2012) | Urine | 93/105 (88.6) | 13/105 (12.4) | Amphetamines (300) | 0/13 (0) |
| Cocaine metabolites (300) | 0/13 (0) | |||||
NR, not reported.