Do These Common Drugs Increase Your Risk for Dementia?

Washington University School of Medicine Professor Suzanne Schindler says anticholinergic medications can elevate the risk of dementia among certain people, according to U.S. News & World Report . "For example, people who take anticholinergic medications may notice that they become confused or groggy," she says. These drugs can impair memory and thinking, and long-term users may develop more severe and chronic problems like dementia. A study in JAMA Internal Medicine found antidepressants, anti-Parkinson's disease medication, anti-psychotics, medication for an overactive bladder, and anti-epileptic drugs were all associated with a risk of dementia. Schindler says anticholinergics probably do not cause the structural brain changes associated with Alzheimer's, but she warns such medications may exacerbate Alzheimer's symptoms. Experts recommend that people considering or using anticholinergics should speak to their primary care physician and pharmacist, and review their medication annually. Also advised is discussing how to minimize use of anticholinergic drugs that can cause cognitive symptoms and discontinuing drugs that are no longer effective.