Q: Your study of more than 34,000 residents’ sleep habits surprised you and your colleagues. How?A: We anticipated that more patients taking hypnotics (sleeping pills) may have hip fractures, but we found the contrary. This was just breathtaking. It’s completely contrary to what we believed, but the data speaks for itself.


Q: How much difference was there?

A: Residents with untreated insomnia were 90% more likely to fall in the next six months compared with those who did not have insomnia. Those taking hypnotic drugs were only 29% more likely to fall.

Q: How might this affect residents?

A: It’s further evidence that we should change our thinking on the notion that hypnotics might not be best but may actually be beneficial for the geriatric patient. Short-acting hypnotics, when  used appropriately and strategically, may actually protect the patient from falls and subsequent hip fractures.

Q: What’s the impact of your study?

A: It goes beyond looking at insomnia and falls. It shows we physicians need to look at sleep disorders further, and more frequently ask about snoring and choking at night, and restless leg. Once you look for this disorder (insomnia), you can have a tremendous impact on not only the long-term health of this patient but also the quality of their lives.

Q: What’s next?

A: We need to do more prospective studies, follow populations by specifically looking at insomnia. We need more studies to evaluate the facts, rather than just MDS information.