Links between irregular heartbeat and unexplained falls

A new study has found strong links between irregular heartbeat and unexplained falls in the elderly, and has also shown a link between depression in older people and syncopal episodes or blackouts.

The research was carried out for the Department of Gerontology in Trinity College Dublin and involved the screening of people presenting to an emergency department.

The supervisor of the research, Prof Rose Anne Kenny, said it showed that a fully-funded and properly-resourced health system that allowed specialist teams to carry out screening programmes could reduce the number of people presenting after a fall and save the exchequer money.