What are the 9 Common Drugs Linked to Alzheimer's?

Drugs That May Cause Memory Loss
  • Antianxiety drugs.
  • Cholesterol drugs.
  • Antiseizure drugs.
  • Antidepressant drugs.
  • Narcotic painkillers.
  • Parkinson's drugs.
  • Hypertension drugs.
  • Sleeping aids.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on aarp.org


What are the nine common senior pills linked to Alzheimer's?

An estimated 47 million people worldwide were living with dementia in 2015, while in the United States around 5.7 million people have Alzheimer dementia, according to the study. Anticholergenic drugs include, but are not limited to, Artane, Bentyl, Oxytrol, Neosol, Symax and Vesicare.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on usatoday.com


What drugs are linked to Alzheimers?

Which Common Medications Are Linked to Dementia?
  • Antidepressants,
  • Antiparkinson drugs,
  • Antipsychotics,
  • Antimuscarinics (Used to treat an overactive bladder), and.
  • Antiepileptic drugs.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on center4research.org


Can certain medications cause dementia?

The average age of the dementia patients was 82. Overall, they study found an increased risk of dementia among those who took anticholinergic drugs. After accounting for other risk factors for dementia, the researchers concluded that strong anticholinergic meds were associated with an increased risk of dementia.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on webmd.com


What medications make Alzheimer's worse?

Medications Implicated in the Worsening of Dementia Symptoms:
  • Anticholinergic Drugs: The first on our list are anticholinergic drugs, one of many medications that can cause dementia. ...
  • Benzodiazepines: ...
  • Steroids: ...
  • Antipsychotics: ...
  • Beta-Blockers:
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on myhometouch.com


Common drugs linked to increased risk of dementia



What prescription drugs are linked to memory loss?

Caution! These 10 Drugs Can Cause Memory Loss
  • Antianxiety drugs (Benzodiazepines) ...
  • Cholesterol-lowering drugs (Statins) ...
  • Antiseizure drugs. ...
  • Antidepressant drugs (Tricyclic antidepressants) ...
  • Narcotic painkillers. ...
  • Parkinson's drugs (Dopamine agonists) ...
  • Hypertension drugs (Beta-blockers)
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on aarp.org


Do blood pressure meds cause Alzheimer's?

That's the intriguing finding from a Johns Hopkins analysis of previously gathered data, which found that people who took commonly prescribed blood pressure medications were half as likely to develop Alzheimer's as those who didn't. Researchers have known about the link between blood pressure and Alzheimer's for years.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on hopkinsmedicine.org


Which antidepressants increase risk of dementia?

SSRI use is significantly associated with an increased risk of dementia when compared with nonuse.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on ncbi.nlm.nih.gov


Is Tylenol linked to dementia?

The primary ingredient in Benadryl and the secondary ingredient in Tylenol PM is reported to have a cumulative effect in the human brain which can cause as much as a 54% increase in the likelihood of dementia or Alzheimer's in consumers who use it regularly. This is according to a study published by JAMA, Jan. 26.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on medshadow.org


Is Benadryl linked to Alzheimer's?

Researchers have discovered a significant link between high use of anticholinergic drugs – including popular non-prescription sleep aids and the antihistamine Benadryl (diphenhydramine) – and increased risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease in older people.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on medicalnewstoday.com


Do all antihistamines cause dementia?

But there was no association between dementia and antihistamine medications. A 2018 study had similar findings. While certain types of anticholinergic medications were linked to dementia, antihistamines were not.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on goodrx.com


What medications can cause cognitive problems?

Psychoactive drugs, antidepressants and anticonvulsants can cause dementia and delirium. In addition, non-psychoactive drugs such as histamine H2 receptor antagonists, corticosteroids, NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent), and cardiac medications, may cause acute or chronic cognitive impairment.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov


What medications should elderly avoid?

AVOID Certain Anticholinergic Drugs
  • Antidepressants amitriptyline (Elavil) and imipramine (Tofranil)
  • Anti-Parkinson drug trihexyphenidyl (Artane)
  • Irritable bowel syndrome drug dicyclomine (Bentyl)
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on healthinaging.org


What is the new Alzheimer's drug?

Medicare's Coverage Decision for the New Alzheimer's Drug and Why It Matters. After much anticipation, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that Medicare will cover the new Alzheimer's drug, Aduhelm, subject to evidence development.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on kff.org


Is melatonin linked to dementia?

There is some evidence that this treatment does improve sleep quality in people with Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease but so far evidence suggests melatonin does not affect risk of dementia or cognitive function.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on alzheimers.org.uk


What is the safest antidepressant for the elderly?

SSRIs considered to have the best safety profile in the elderly are citalopram, escitalopram, and sertraline.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on bcmj.org


Is Zoloft linked to dementia?

According to the University of Regina research, popular SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) antidepressant medications, such as Prozac, Paxil, Lexapro, Zoloft, etc., are associated with a twofold increase in the odds of developing some form of cognitive impairment, such as dementia, including Alzheimer's.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on anxietycentre.com


Does gabapentin cause dementia?

One study found that long-term administrations of Gabapentin alone did not cause memory loss or memory impairment. Patients can, however, experience brain fog or slight confusion upon taking this medication, but nothing as severe as dementia.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on banyantreatmentcenter.com


Which blood pressure medications cause memory loss?

Beta-blockers are believed to cause memory issues by interfering with norepinephrine and epinephrine, which are both key chemical messengers in the brain. These anticholinergics may cause memory loss because they block the action of acetylcholine, a chemical messenger involved with many functions in the body.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on pharmacytimes.com


Does metformin cause memory loss?

The bottom line is that more research is required to get conclusive answers on how metformin contributes to memory problems, however, the underlying condition that metformin treats—type 2 diabetes—certainly can lead to decreased cognitive function and memory issues.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on singlecare.com


Do Calcium channel blockers cause dementia?

Overall, the current data suggest that use of calcium channel blocker antihypertensives significantly slows the rate of progression of subjects to dementia compared to those subjects who do not use CCBs and that the potential protective effects on cognitive decline might be mediated through modulation of proteins ...
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on ncbi.nlm.nih.gov


What drugs cause confusion in elderly?

In high doses, anticholinergic medications, benzodiazepines, and narcotics are common causes of drug-induced delirium (Table 3). Even at recommended doses, these agents may cause confusion, cognitive impairment, and delirium in the elderly.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on uspharmacist.com


Do antidepressants cause Alzheimer's?

Certain antidepressants and bladder medications are linked to increased risk of dementia, according to new University of East Anglia research funded by Alzheimer's Society and published today in the British Medical Journal.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on alzheimers.org.uk


What meds should dementia patients avoid?

Narcotics such as hydrocodone, oxycodone and morphine; muscle relaxants such as cyclobenzaprine, carisoprodol; NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, naproxen should be avoided if possible. If these medications must be used, they should be used at the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration to minimize adverse effects.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on memory.ucsf.edu
Previous question
Is mild hepatomegaly reversible?