Dementia risk can 'increase' with use of common medications, scientists warn

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Commonly prescribed drugs could increase risk of dementia, scientists have warned.Research conducted by the University of Nottingham has revealed that regular use of medicines used to treat bladder conditions, Parkinson’s disease and depression could significantly increase the risk of developing the disease in later life.The study showed that using anticholinergic medication every day for three years or more caused an almost 50 percent increase in the risk of dementia among patients aged 55 and over.Dr James Pickett, Head of Research at Alzheimer’s Society, said of the research: “Current guidelines for doctors say that anticholinergic drugs should be avoided for frail older people because of their impact on memory and thinking, but doctors should consider these new findings for all middle aged and older people as long-term use could raise the risk of dementia.”However, he warned that the study did not allow scientists to chart a definitive timeline between starting on the medications and the onset of dementia.

He said: “A shortcoming of this type of study is that from this information we can’t rule out whether the diseases that cause dementia might have already begun in the brains of people involved before they started taking these drugs."Anticholinergic drugs help to contract and relax muscles.

They block acetylcholine, a chemical that transmits messages in the nervous system, and so stop the nerve impulses that cause involuntary muscle movements and several bodily functions.The medicines are prescribed to treat conditions including an overactive bladder, allergies, symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, and obstructive pulmonary disease.The short-term side effects of these medications are well-charted, with the drugs widely