Common Over The Counter Drugs Are Dementia Enablers?

Some of the most frequent medical treatments, might be enablers for dementia. New scientifical research arrived to the conclusion that certain drugs prescribed or taken over the counter could generate dementia in older peeople.

Researchers believe that specific over the counter medication, might be linked to dementia and Alzheimer. All these types of drugs, have an anticholinergic effect on the body, a process that blocks the access of the acetylcholine a neurotransmitter to the central and peripheral nervous system.

The new research, described that higher doses and longer treatments were favoring dementia, in elderly people. The study has examined only older people, and the results were bases on people who took medication every day for at least three years. The side effects of this genre of medicine, could affect the attention span and develop memory problems, or dry mouth.

Doctor  Shelly Gray from the University of Washington and her team, observed the health of 3,434 people with ages of 65 and up, who showed no dementia signs at the beginning of the study

Researchers have analyzed their medical records to establish how many of the patients had been treated with anticholinergic drugs, what dose they took and how often. They compared this information with following dementia investigation over the next ten years.

At the end, the study, they determined that patients who had been taking around 10 mg per day of antidepressants, 4 mg per day of sleeping pills or 5 mg per day of urinary incontinence drugs, for over three years, were at higher risks of developing dementia.

A method to avoid this from happening, would be for doctors to find alternatives for the treatments and if not possible, to lower the medication dose for the shortest period possible.

Experts haven’t given the exact name of the pharmaceutical  brands, but they stressed on certain substances which would be, tricyclic, contained by antidepressants, antihistaminics, used to treat allergies and antimuscaniris, used in urinary incontinence medication.

Doctor Gray, added that some of the patients from the experiment, have agreed to have an autopsy, when they will die. This would help doctors, study their brain in depth which could provide an explanation for the results of the study.

However, until additional evidence, this study is not a definitive proof that these medication cause dementia, explained doctor Simon Ridley, research leader at the Alzheimer’s Research in the UK.
Image Source: aMillionLives