CHICAGO — New research shows fatal falls have nearly tripled in older Americans in recent years, rising to more than 25,000 deaths yearly.

The findings highlight the importance of fall prevention. A separate study bolsters evidence that programs focusing on improving muscle strength and balance can help achieve that.

Both studies were published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Circumstances weren’t included in the data, but traumatic brain injuries and hip fractures leading to steep health declines are among causes of death in older adults who fall.

“Deaths from falls may have increased because older people are living longer, living longer independently, and are living longer with chronic conditions,” said Elizabeth Burns, a study co-author and health scientist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s injury center.

She noted that some medications also make older adults prone to falls. That includes prescription drugs affecting balance. Burns said research shows use of certain psychiatric medications that can cause drowsiness and vision problems has increased substantially in recent years.

The new analysis included 16 years of U.S. vital statistics on adults aged 75. Fatal falls increased from 8,600 in 2000 to 25,190 in 2016. Separate CDC data show they climbed even higher in 2017, to almost 26,440 fatal falls in those age 75 and older.