We all have a fear somewhere in our hearts that our parents, or ourselves, will start to forget things as we get older. The thought of losing our memory and ability to think clearly is truly terrifying. While aging is a major cause of this memory loss, or dementia, there is now talk of another risk factor. That is, some of the medications we use for various diseases.
What are these anticholinergic medications?
Simply put, anticholinergics are a class of drugs. They are made from a plant called Belladonna. This plant can actually be toxic in certain doses. However, the compounds in this plant are able to control, or suppress, the activity of our nervous system to some extent, so they are used to make controlled medicines.
Imagine, our nervous system is like a network of nerves spread throughout the body. Our brain is the main center. The commands given from there go to the entire body through these nerve cells. Everything from our walking, thinking, heartbeat, breathing, sleeping, and the functioning of our five senses is controlled by this nervous system.
There are chemical messengers that carry messages through this nervous system. We call them neurotransmitters. Acetylcholine is one such very important messenger. So, what anticholinergic drugs do is block this messenger called acetylcholine. Through that, some of the activities of the nervous system are controlled.
Many of these medications are used to treat medical conditions.
| When to use anticholinergic drugs | |
|---|---|
| For common medical conditions | |
|
|
| During surgeries | |
| |
| As an antidote for poisoning | |
| |
Some commonly used medications
These medications come in the form of pills, eye drops, and injections. Some examples are:
- Diphenhydramine: This is a type of medicine used to treat allergies. The Sri Lankan medicine Piriton contains a similar compound called chlorpheniramine. These also fall into the same class of anti-cholinergics.
- Benztropine: Used for Parkinson's symptoms.
- Dicycloverine: Used for stomach pain, especially in conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
- Oxybutynin: A medication given to people who have difficulty controlling their urine.
- Hyoscyamine: Used for stomach and bladder muscle pain.
Simply put, what is dementia?
Dementia is a general term used for a range of conditions that affect a person's ability to think, remember, or make decisions. It is most common among older people.
Although there are several types of dementia, 60% - 80% of them are caused by Alzheimer's disease .
This condition can affect a person's:
- Ability to focus
- Talking to others (communication)
- The ability to choose right from wrong (discretionary intelligence)
- Memory
- Ability to think logically and solve problems
Sometimes, types of dementia like Alzheimer's can even cause changes in a person's personality and behavior.
Who is at higher risk of dementia?
- Age: Aging is the main risk factor.
- Heart disease: People with a history of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and stroke are at higher risk of dementia.
- Genetics: If a close family member has had Alzheimer's disease, your risk of developing it may increase by about 10% - 30%.
- Traumatic Brain Injury: Severe or persistent head injuries can also increase the risk.
But sometimes this memory loss can be temporary. Certain medications, vitamin deficiencies, and thyroid hormone imbalances can also cause temporary memory loss.
So does this medication really cause dementia?
Researchers conducted a large study to find out. This was a ten-year study. About 3,500 people over the age of 65 participated in this. None of these people had dementia when the study began.
The researchers kept records of all the medications the participants took, both those prescribed by a doctor and those available over-the-counter, such as piridine. They tested the participants' memory and thinking skills every two years.
By the end of the study, 797 of the participants had developed dementia. Of those, 637 had Alzheimer's disease.
When analyzing this data, the researchers made a surprising discovery. They found a significant association between people who used anticholinergic medications and those who developed dementia . They also found that the longer someone used these medications, the higher their risk of developing dementia .
For example, it was found that people with the highest exposure, such as those who used this medication continuously for about three years at a normal daily dose, had a significantly higher risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease than those who did not use this medication.
Why is this happening?
One of the main theories is that it has to do with the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is naturally low in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease. In fact, some medications used to treat Alzheimer's disease work by increasing the amount of acetylcholine in the brain.
So, anticholinergic drugs block the acetylcholine messenger, so researchers think that might be the reason. But more research is needed on this.
Take-Home Message
- Some medications given for common ailments such as allergies, depression, urinary incontinence, and stomach pain may fall into the anticholinergic category.
- Studies have shown that long-term use of these medications in high doses increases the risk of dementia, especially in the elderly.
- This does not mean that everyone who takes this medicine will develop dementia. It is just a risk factor.
- Never stop taking any medication prescribed by your doctor on your own. Doing so may worsen your condition.
- If you have any concerns or questions about the medications you are taking, especially long-term medications like this one, be sure to talk to your family doctor. He or she can assess your individual risks and, if necessary, recommend an alternative that is right for you.
💬 අදහස් (0)
තවමත් කිසිදු අදහසක් පළ කර නොමැත. ඔබේ අදහස පළමු වරට මෙහි එක් කරන්න.
ඔබේ අදහස එක් කරන්න