Citation

Br. Dent. J. 2004; 197(11): 687.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, British Dental Association)

DOI

10.1038/sj.bdj.4811913

PMID

15592547

Abstract

Older people are more active than they used to be and therefore more exposed to injury. About 35-40% of over 65-year-olds fall each year, and most of these are in winter. Those who break an arm may have stretched out their hand consciously, but those who sustain facial injuries may have lost consciousness. This prospective study compared 25 patients with upper limb injuries and 25 with maxillofacial injuries presenting at a UK hospital.

About 1/5 of all patients were male. Mean age for arm injuries was 75 yrs, and for maxillofacial injuries, 80. Most of the latter sustained facial laceration, and most of the former, fractured radius. The event was remembered by only 15 of the latter, but by 23 of the former (P = 0.02). The authors comment that this may indicate reduced consciousness arising from a pre-existent medical condition. The commonest medical condition recorded was cardiac disease (32%). Eight patients suffered from dementia, which is a known risk factor for falls.