Link Between Common Class Of Drugs, Increase In Dementia Risk Deepened With Wide-Ranging Study
The researchers looked at anticholinergic drugs that work by blocking a chemical called acetylcholine, which acts as a neurotransmitter and is involved in many nervous system functions including muscle movements, heart rate, the widening of blood vessels, respiratory functions and muscle contractions in the stomach during digestion. Previous research has found a link between the drugs and dementia, but a new study strengthens those findings.
The New York Times:
Risk For Dementia May Increase With Long-Term Use Of Certain Medicines
Can certain medications increase your risk of dementia? A new study suggests that people who take a class of common medicines called anticholinergic drugs for several years may be more likely to develop dementia as they age. This is not a new hypothesis about these drugs, which are used to treat a wide range of conditions from depression to epilepsy to incontinence. (Belluck, 6/25)
CNN:
Dementia Risk Tied To These Commonly Prescribed Drugs In A New Study
Researchers wrote in the study that "there was nearly a 50% increased odds of dementia" associated with a total anticholinergic exposure of more than 1,095 daily doses within a 10-year period, which is equivalent to an older adult taking a strong anticholinergic medication daily for at least three years, compared with no exposure. "The study is important because it strengthens a growing body of evidence showing that strong anticholinergic drugs have long term associations with dementia risk," said Carol Coupland, professor of medical statistics in primary care at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom and first author of the study. (Howard, 6/25)
Atlanta Journal Constitution:
Study: Commonly Prescribed Medications Could Increase Dementia Risk
After analyzing the results, they found those on anticholinergic medications had almost a 50% increased chance of developing dementia, compared to those who didn’t have prescriptions for anticholinergic drugs. The risk was only associated with 1,095 daily doses within a 10-year period, which is equivalent to an older adult taking a strong anticholinergic medication daily for at least three years. (Parker, 6/25)
USA Today:
These Common Prescriptions May Increase Risk Of Dementia, Study Finds
The researchers found no significant increases in dementia risk associated with antihistamines, skeletal muscle relaxants, gastrointestinal antispasmodics, antiarrhythmics, or antimuscarinic bronchodilators, but associations were found among other classes of anticholinergic drugs. An estimated 47 million people worldwide were living with dementia in 2015, while in the United States around 5.7 million people have Alzheimer dementia, according to the study. (Aspegren, 6/24)
