Falls DDx

Falls – Differential Diagnosis

Common causes

• Poor mobility
• Orthostatic hypotension
• Acute infections(UTI etc)
• Visual problems
• Parkinson’s disease
• Vertigo

Must Not Miss

• Vascular
  • CVA / TIA
  • Arrhythmia
  • Myocardial Infarction
• Vertebrobasilar insufficiency
• Hypoglycaemia

Easily missed

• Medications
• Alcohol
• Peripheral polyneuropathy

Red flags

• Loss of consciousness
• Chest pain/palpitations
• Dyspnoea
• Confusion
• Neurological deficit, new gait disorder
• Drug & Alcohol misuse

Investigations to consider

• FBC, CRP/ESR
• U&Es, LFTs, Calcium, Serum glucose
• Troponin/cardiac enzymes
• Urinalysis
• ECG
• 24 hour ECG
• Echocardiography
• CT/MRI scan (head)
• Tilt table testing
• NCS + EMG