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Dementia and other cognitive decline conditions are not just devastating for those affected but even for their friends and family. According to experts, for most forms of dementia, there is no highly effective treatment, and you can just manage the symptoms. However, there are a few medications whi increase the risk of stealing the memories and independence of those it affects.
Doctors say at least five drugs are linked to cognitive decline, as they typically affect your brain as they cross the blood-brain barrier. These are:
Antihistamines
Antihistamines, which have the active ingredient diphenhydramine, used for treating allergies, can spike the danger of faster dementia. According to doctors, over-the-counter antihistamines lead to drowsiness and many people also take them as a sleep aid.
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Doctors say using this medication regularly could be bad for your brain, apart from an overall decline in health.
The American Geriatrics Society listed diphenhydramine—a form of antihistamine—in a 2019 report of potentially unsuitable medications for older adults due to its risk of side effects. Some of these include:
- Confusion
- Blurred vision
- Constipation
- Dizziness
- Drowsiness
- Dry mouth
- Fatigue
- Urinary retention
Among older people, the medication that adds to cognitive and mobility impairments also contributes to an increased risk of a fall or accident.
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Opiates are common painkillers that are prescribed after surgery, injury, or for cancer patients. While it acts like morphine for your brain, doctors say its long-term effects include sedation, which causes dementia.
Studies say opiate users have a 15 per cent higher risk of developing dementia.
Heartburn medication
Apart from the first two, another common medicine that increases the risk of dementia includes the medication used for treating digestive issues like heartburn—omeprazole. Doctors say while it is fine to take the medication once in a while, consuming omeprazole regularly can increase the amount of beta-amyloid in your brain – one of the main causes of cognitive decline and early-onset dementia.
It works as a proton pump inhibitor or PPI, thereby decreasing the acid inside your stomach.
Benzodiazepines
Doctors say even though a link between benzodiazepines and dementia is not clear, studies find an association saying that the medication is associated with a 50 per cent increase in the risk of dementia as well as Alzheimer’s disease.
Common benzodiazepines, like Valium and Xanax, are commonly used for treating symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, and even seizures. These are prescribed medicines, but prolonged usage can have a serious effect on your brain.
Experts say the medication reaches directly into your central nervous system and numbs the entire brain while helping with reducing anxiety and alcohol withdrawal symptoms but can also induce dementia in the long run.
Antidepressants
According to doctors, some of the antidepressants could also trigger dementia. Tricyclic antidepressants like amitriptyline—also prescribed for pain and to help with sleeping—lead to confusion and raise people’s risk of a fall.
In a study published in the British Medical Journal in 2018, researchers examined GP records of over 40,000 people aged 65 and older with dementia and nearly 300,000 without. They dug into prescribing data from up to 20 years before to see if there was a link between these drugs and later dementia diagnosis.
The results showed that those who had taken the drugs four to 20 years earlier were more likely to be diagnosed with dementia.