As we age, the contents of our medicine cabinet may need a rethink—some everyday drugs, including cold remedies and anxiety meds, could be affecting brain health
NEW ORLEANS — Could frequent use of some cold and allergy medications, and many other common drugs, like those for anxiety, increase your risk of dementia?
We explore that question and why, as you age, you need to change what’s in your medicine cabinet.
Doctors are aware of it, but patients are most likely not. Certain over-the-counter and prescription medications could increase your risk of dementia.
“We’ve known about the risk of memory, thinking disorders with these medications for decades,” said Tulane Neurologist Dr. Michele Longo, who has a special interest in memory disorders and sees patients at the UMC Healthy Brain Aging Institute.
The medications fall into two classes:
- First: Anticholinergic drugs, like some sleep aids and antihistamines like Benadryl, and prescriptions for overactive bladder, asthma, COPD, sleep aids, and motion sickness.
- Second: benzodiazepines like alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium), and lorazepam (Ativan) for anxiety, insomnia, and muscle spasms.
“They’ve been around for a long time. They are probably one of the more commonly prescribed medications,” she said.
Studies show that when you stop taking the benzos, memory issues tend to go back to normal, but strong anticholinergic drug use is consistently associated with an increased risk of dementia, even after you stop taking them.
One of the reasons age makes a difference in the medication you take and how much of it you take is that as we get older, our systems slow down, allowing medications to stay in our bodies for longer periods.
“As we age, we have to reconsider, look at the medicines and say, ‘Alright, does the benefit of this medicine still outweigh the risks of that medicine?’ And that balance shifts as we age.”
And don’t think that just because a drug is over-the-counter, it means there is no risk.
“Anything that is marketed in the drug store to help with sleep. You know, I tell my patients to look for “PM.” If it says “PM,” we’ve got to look closely. Ask the pharmacist,” Dr. Longo recommended.
So, she says, bring a list of all the medications you take to your annual exam and let your doctor guide you.
Some doctors suggest that non-drowsy antihistamines, such as Claritin or Zyrtec, may be safer options for allergies, particularly for older adults.
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