Anticholinergic drugs linked to mental impairment in elderly people

[Guest guest]

Colleagues, the following is FYI and does not necessarily reflect my own

opinion. I have no further knowledge of the topic. If you do not wish to

receive these posts, set your email filter to filter out any messages

coming from @nutritionucanlivewith.com and the program will remove

anything coming from me.

---------------------------------------------------------

Public release date: 31-Jan-2006

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-01/bmj-adl013106.php

Contact: Emma Dickinson

edickinson@...

44-

BMJ-British Medical Journal

Anticholinergic drugs linked to mental impairment in elderly people

Non-degenerative mild cognitive impairment in elderly people and use of

anticholinergic drugs: Longitudinal cohort study BMJ Online First

Anticholinergic drugs may lead to mild cognitive (mental) impairment in

elderly people, finds a study published online by the BMJ today.

These drugs are commonly used in elderly patients to treat illnesses

such as irritable bowel syndrome, urinary incontinence, and Parkinson's

disease, so it is important that doctors are aware of this effect, say

the researchers.

They interviewed 372 elderly people without dementia about current and

past illnesses and drug use. Cognitive performance was assessed and

participants were monitored for up to eight years.

About 10% of the people in the sample took anticholinergic drugs over an

extended period. Drug users showed poorer cognitive performance compared

with non-users and 80% met the criteria for mild cognitive impairment

compared with 35% of non-users. However, drug users were not at

increased risk of developing dementia.

Even after taking account of other known risk factors for cognitive

impairment, anticholinergic drugs remained the most highly significant

predictor of this condition, say the authors.

Given the aim of identifying mild cognitive impairment is the early

treatment of dementia, people with mild cognitive impairment due to

anticholinergic drugs could be in the absurd situation of receiving

pro-cholinergic drugs to counteract the effects of anticholinergic

agents, say the authors.

They suggest doctors assess current use of anticholinergic drugs in

elderly people with mild cognitive impairment before considering

treatment for dementia.

--

ne Holden, MS, RD < fivestar@... >

" Ask the Parkinson Dietitian " http://www.parkinson.org/

" Eat well, stay well with Parkinson's disease "

" Parkinson's disease: Guidelines for Medical Nutrition Therapy "

http://www.nutritionucanlivewith.com/