Falls & gait disorders

DDx

• Visual impairment
• Gait impairment due to:
  • Podiatric disorder, eg, ingrown nail
  • Arthritis
  • Muscular weakness, eg, myopathy
  • Cerebellar ataxia, eg, alcoholism
  • Sensory ataxia, eg, vitamin B₁₂ deficiency, neurosyphilis
  • Other neurologic disorder, eg, parkinsonism, Alzheimer’s disease, spinal stenosis, multiple sclerosis, peripheral neuropathy
• Environmental hazards, eg, poor lighting, stairs, rugs, uneven floors
• Polypharmacy, eg, benzodiazepines, opioids, phenothiazines, vasodilators, diuretics
• Alcohol use
• Orthostatic or postprandial hypotension
• Vertigo, presyncope, syncope, or dysequilibrium
• Medical illness, eg, pneumonia, myocardial infarction, anemia, hyponatremia
• Other contributing factors: urinary urgency, peripheral edema, insomnia