Personal Injury Law

Study reports falls in elderly linked to hardened arteries

By Kristina Labanauskas

According to some researchers, treating high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol could help prevent some accidents. As aging blood vessels in the brain stiffen, they are less able to respond to blood pressure changes, which can increase the risk of falling by up to 70%.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than a third of adults over the age of 65 fall each year, and 30% of those suffer moderate to severe injuries, including hip fractures and traumatic brain injuries. Most elderly who are hospitalized with a hip fracture end up in a nursing home.

For more on the study, visit: http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/la-sci-elderly-falls-20100518,0,2920328.story.

Full post as published by Cook County Personal Injury Lawyer on May 18, 2010 (boomark / email).