A large study, developed for more than seven years by the University of Washington (USA) and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine , shows that some medications we use regularly can cause a very dangerous side effect if they are taken in excess or if consumed for a long time .
The research involved 3,500 people in order to analyze the possibility of association between the consumption of these common medications and an increased risk of dementia. The conclusions are clear: the greater the consumption of anticholinergic medications (which block the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the brain and body and can cause drowsiness, sore throat, urine retention and dry mouth and eyes) such as antidepressants or Indicated for allergy or bladder control, they increase the risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease . In addition, this risk may not be reversible even if the medication is stopped and the years go by. The threat continues to persist.
“Older people should be aware that many of the medications, including those available without a prescription, have significant anticholinergic effects. But no one should stop taking any treatment without consulting their doctor, ”explains Shelly Gray, leader of the study.
As more research is needed to determine whether the cognitive decline caused by drug side effects can be reversible, this research will continue after the volunteers have passed away . All of them have given their consent for scientists to analyze their brain to see if indeed those people who took these drugs have Alzheimer’s-associated pathology in their brain or not, compared to those who used other drugs.
