| Medications used for: |
Common Medications |
Reason for Falling |
Action Step |
| Arthritis or inflammation |
Ibuprofen, naproxen, Tylenol PM |
May make you dizzy which can cause you to lose your balance and drowsy which can make you less alert. |
Talk to your pharmacist or healthcare provider before using any over-the-counter medicines and if you experience side effects. |
| Angina or heart problems |
Nitroglycerin, Clonidine, isosorbide, blood pressure drugs |
May make you dizzy which can cause you to lose your balance. |
Sit down when taking nitroglycerin tablets. |
| Anxiety or calming your nerves |
Lorazepam, alprazolam, diazepam |
May make you dizzy which can cause you to lose your balance and drowsy which can make you less alert. |
Talk to your pharmacist or healthcare provider if you experience side effects. |
| Colds and/or allergies |
Pseudoephedrine, diphenhydramine (Benadryl), loratidine |
May make you dizzy which can cause you to lose your balance. |
Talk to your pharmacist or healthcare provider before using any over-the-counter medicines and if you experience side effects. |
| Depression |
Fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, citalopram |
May make you dizzy which can cause you to lose your balance and drowsy which can make you less alert. |
Talk to your pharmacist or healthcare provider if you experience side effects. |
| Fluid retention |
Furosemide, bumetanide, hydrochlorothiazide, torsemide, spironolactone |
May cause you to rush to the restroom increasing your chance of falling from not being careful. |
Go to the bathroom frequently so you do not have to rush.
Take the medicine in the morning so you do not have to get up in the middle of the night when you are sleepy. |
| Nausea and vomiting or motion sickness |
Meclizine, dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) |
May make you dizzy which can cause you to lose your balance and drowsy which can make you less alert. |
Talk to your pharmacist or healthcare provider before using any over-the-counter medicines and if you experience side effects. |
| Pain |
Morphine, hydrocodone/acetaminophen (vicodin), Darvocet, Percocet, |
May make you dizzy which can cause you to lose your balance and drowsy which can make you less alert. |
Talk to your pharmacist or healthcare provider if you experience side effects. |
| Sleeping problems like insomnia |
Ambien, Lunesta, trazodone, amitriptyline, Tylenol PM |
May make you drowsy which can make you less alert. |
Take these medications only under a doctor’s supervision and only at bedtime. |
| Stomach ulcers, heartburn or acid reflux |
Omeprazole (Prilosec), Protonix, Aciphex, Nexium, Ranitidine (Zantac), Famotidine (Pepcid), Cimetidine (Tagamet) |
May make you dizzy which can cause you to lose your balance. |
Talk to your pharmacist or healthcare provider before using any over-the-counter medicines and if you experience side effects. |
