Drug Used to Treat Overactive Bladder Linked to Dementia

A study by Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry Professor Blayne Welk and colleagues published in BJU International suggests that anticholinergic drugs for treating overactive bladder could elevate the risk of developing dementia, reports CTV News . The team looked at some 60,000 Ontarians with bladder leakage issues, and those who used anticholinergics rather than beta-3 agonists had a 20 percent higher risk of dementia. Welk recommended that people should consult with their doctors about treatment options, even though the risk of dementia is technically low. "It's important for physicians to be aware that there are alternative medications, and if a patient is concerned about that being a side effect of an overactive bladder medication, there are alternatives out there that can be tried first," he said.