Risk Assessment and Prevention of Falls

To the Editor The comprehensive review of risk assessment and prevention of falls by Dr Colón-Emeric and colleagues did not mention one important, common, and modifiable risk factor: alcohol use. The relationship between alcohol intoxication and falls is self-evident, whereas the effect of smaller amounts of consumption has been less studied and with inconsistent results. Still, geriatricians well know that in an older individual, even a small, “social” amount of alcohol can affect balance and lead to a fall. This relationship may not be examined in epidemiological studies. For example, in a study of persons aged 65 years and older who sought treatment for injuries resulting from falls, no association was reported between fall injuries and self-reported alcohol use.