Table 1.
Prevalence of fall-related side effects of opioids based on summaries of product characteristics (Finnish Medicine Agency)
| Opioids | (Orthostatic) hypotension | Drowsiness or somnolence | Dizziness or vertigo | Sedation | Confusion | Delirium or confusional state | Eye disorders | Muscle problems (e.g. rigidity) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Codeine (tablet) | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | No data | No data | No data | Unknown | No data |
| Dihydrocodeine (tablet) | No data | No data | No data | No data | No data | No data | No data | No data |
| Tramadol (capsule) | ++ | +++ | ++++ | No data | + | + | + | + |
| Buprenorphine (sublingual tablet) | +++ | +++ | +++ | No data | No data | No data | +++ | +++ |
| Buprenorphine (transdermal patch) | + + | + + + + | + + + + | + + | + + + | No data | + + | + + + |
| Fentanyl (sublingual tablet) | ++ | +++ | +++ | No data | No data | ++ | ++ | No data |
| Fentanyl (transdermal patch) | ++ | ++++ | +++ | +++ | No data | +++ | ++ | +++ |
| Hydromorphone (capsule) | ++ | ++++ | ++++ | + | No data | +++ | ++ | No data |
| Methadone (tablet) | +++ | +++ | +++ | +++ | ++++ | Unknown | Unknown | No data |
| Morphine (tablet) | ++ | +++ | +++ | No data | +++ | No data | ++ | No data |
| Oxycodone (capsule) | + | ++++ | ++++ | +++ | No data | +++ | ++ | ++ |
| Pethidine (tablet) | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | No data | No data | Unknown | Unknown |
++++: > 1/10 (very common: ≥ 1/10)
+++: 1/10–1/100 (common: ≥ 1/100 to < 1/10)
++: 1/100–1/1000 (uncommon: ≥ 1/1000 to < 1/100)
+: <1/1000 (Rare: ≥ 1/10,000 to < 1/1000) and (very rare: < 1/10,000)
Unknown: cannot be estimated from the available data