Some Drugs May Increase Dementia Risk
The drugs in question areĀ frequentlyĀ prescribed for bladder disorders,Ā symptoms ofĀ Parkinsonās disease, depression, allergies and gastrointestinal disorders thatĀ oftenĀ occur in people over age 55. These āanticholinergicā medicationsĀ help regulate smooth muscle activity. The study from the UKās University of Nottingham found that taking these drugs daily for three years or more led to a 50 percent increased risk of dementia. To determine theĀ increasedĀ risk researchers examined the medical records of 58,769Ā patients diagnosed with dementia and 225,574 others whoĀ were not affected.Ā After accounting for other risk factors associated with dementia, results showedĀ anĀ increased risk of dementia among patients taking anticholinergic drugsĀ overall and specifically forĀ anticholinergicĀ antidepressants, antipsychotics,Ā andĀ anti-Parkinsonās drugs,Ā as well as drugs for bladder conditions and epilepsy.Ā The researchers wrote that they found a greater riskĀ in taking these medicationsĀ for people diagnosed with dementia before age 80, which theyĀ addedĀ āindicatesĀ that anticholinergic drugs should be prescribed with caution in middle-aged people as well as in older people.ā Because the study was observational in nature, the investigators said no firm conclusions can be drawn about whether the drugs actually cause dementia and noted thatĀ in some cases,Ā it was possibleĀ the drugs were prescribedĀ to addressĀ concerns that were recognized as beingĀ very early symptoms of dementia.Ā
Source:
Carol A.C. Coupland et al āAnticholinergic Drug Exposure and the Risk of Dementia:Ā A Nested Case-Control Study,ā JAMA Internal Medicine, June 24, 2019, doi: 10.1001/jamainternme.2019.0677Ā
Ā More from this weekās bulletin:Ā
- Processed Meat Consumption Too HighĀ
- Why Smoking Is Worse For Young WomenĀ
- A Tasty, Refreshing Salad!Ā Orange & Jicama SaladĀ
