Short-term risk of falls among initiators of controlled-release tapentadol versus oxycodone in New South Wales between 2014 and 2020: A population-based retrospective cohort study

A new study published in Australia, from 2014 to 2020, has examined the short-term risk of falls among patients who began taking either tapentadol, a sustained-release opioid, or oxycodone, a controlled-release opioid. This research aimed to better understand the safety risks of these medications in real-world settings.

Analyzing health data from over 400,000 patients, the study found that, within the first month of starting treatment, those who took tapentadol had a 1-2% lower risk of experiencing a fall compared to patients who took oxycodone. This falls risk was particularly low among older patients - those aged 65 and above - where tapentadol's fall risk was 2-10% lower than oxycodone's.

The smallest risk reduction was among those who were taking oxycodone for the first time (after stopping any previously used opioids). However, even among this group, tapentadol was still associated with 6-10% fewer falls than oxycodone over the first month.

The study notes that although these absolute differences in fall risk are relatively small, the consequences of falls can be severe, particularly in older individuals where falls may lead to serious injuries and loss of independence. As such, the lower fall risk associated with tapentadol may be an important factor to consider when prescribing these medications, especially for older patients who are at a higher risk of falls.