Effect of anticholinergic drugs on cognitive impairment in the elderly

Publication date: Available online 29 April 2015 Source:Revista de Psiquiatría y Salud Mental (English Edition) Author(s): Jorge López-Álvarez , María Ascensión Zea Sevilla , Luis Agüera Ortiz , Miguel Ángel Fernández Blázquez , Meritxell Valentí Soler , Pablo Martínez-Martín The use of anticholinergic drugs is common in the elderly, even in people with cognitive impairment. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed (anticholinergic effects, anticholinergic and dementia) to define the effects of anticholinergic drugs in the elderly. We emphasised the search in patterns of use, the combined use with AChEIs, the measurement of the Serum Anticholinergic Activity, and the short-term and long-term cognitive effects. The conclusions are that the use of anticholinergic drugs is common in the elderly, even more so than the medical prescription of AChEIs in Alzheimer's disease. The use of anticholinergic drugs may result in cognitive impairment. In long-term use it may generate a worsening of cognitive functions. It can lead to a wrong diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or dementia, and they can also initiate signs of dementia. Greater cognitive effects appear when there is a previous deficit, but cognitive effects from anticholinergic drugs disappear in severe dementia. The presence of ApoE-ɛ4 increases the vulnerability for cognitive impairment when these drugs are employed.
Source: Revista de Psiquiatria y Salud Mental - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research