Patients prescribed drugs linked to dementia risk without being warned by doctors
Anticholinergic drug prescriptions have more than doubled from 2.6 million in 2005 to 6.2 million last year, according to NHS prescribing data
Experts are warning that patients are being prescribed drugs linked to an increased likelihood of dementia without being told of the potential risks.
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They are often used to treat bladder problems, as well as conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, depression and other psychiatric disorders.
Research has found that taking these drugs, known as anticholinergics, can contribute to an increased risk of developing dementia later in life.
More than 4 million people over the age of 65 take at least one of a class of these medicines, which work by blocking acetylcholine, a vital chemical that helps brain and muscle cells communicate with each other.
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Experts are calling for doctors to explicitly warn patients about the risks and the need to consider safer alternatives, according to The Times.
They pointed out that while all drugs are issued with patient information leaflets that include warnings about possible side effects, and many common adverse effects, such as falls, blurred vision, dry mouth and constipation, are included, the chance of dementia is usually not.
“I feel very strongly about giving patients the right information about this. We don’t audit it routinely, and there’s often no flag in prescribing systems when an anticholinergic is prescribed," Lucy Pollock, a leading geriatrician based in Somerset, said.
She added: “We can’t wait for more evidence to build up because millions more people will take these medicines over the next few decades.”
Older patients are also more likely to be prescribed several anticholinergic drugs, which could increase their risk of harmful side-effects, research has shown.