Some over-the-counter and prescription medications can affect memory and cognitive function.
It's an unlucky reality of aging — periods of forgetfulness or “brain fog” where you’ll be able to't think clearly or have trouble multitasking and understanding information. Older folks may shrug it off as “senior moments,” but don't be too quick guilty Father Time for brain damage. Your medication will be the real perpetrator.
A variety of aspects
There are several the explanation why medications can affect memory more as you age.
Impaired blood-brain barrier. The blood-brain barrier allows blood to hold nutrients and oxygen to the brain while blocking toxins and other harmful substances. This wall weakens with age, and medicines can “leak” into the brain, affecting cognitive function.
Polypharmacy. Many older adults require multiple medications to treat a number of conditions, a situation generally known as polypharmacy. It can be common for older people to want to take drugs in larger doses and with greater frequency than younger people.
Sensitivity. Older people metabolize drugs more slowly, making them more sensitive to drugs and more susceptible to unwanted side effects.
Track your memory problems.If you believe you studied that a drugs is causing memory problems, don’t stop taking it yourself. Instead, track your symptoms for one to 2 weeks after which share the outcomes together with your doctor. Note the next:
Be as detailed as possible. The more information you’ll be able to provide, the higher likelihood your doctor has of identifying patterns to find out whether or not a drugs will be the problem. |
Medicines of alternative.
Drugs normally affect memory by interfering with how hormones and neurotransmitters transmit signals between brain cells.
According to Dr. Albers, you regularly know if a drug is causing memory problems soon after taking it. Some memory problems are temporary or come and go. Others occur more ceaselessly and start to affect quality of life.
“It depends on how much you take, how your body metabolizes the drug, and your individual sensitivity,” says Dr. Albers. “Problems can also be caused by unwanted drug interactions.”
While many medications could cause brain fog and other memory problems, sleep and pain medications are probably the most common culprits.
Sleep devices. Over-the-counter sleep aids often contain diphenhydramine, an antihistamine with anticholinergic properties. Anticholinergic drugs are known to impair cognitive function within the elderly. Prescription sleep medications, corresponding to zolpidem (Ambion), can reduce activity in areas of the brain involved in how events are transferred from short-term to long-term memory, affecting memory.
Pain medications. Most medications used to treat chronic pain could cause confusion and memory problems. This list includes opioid analgesics, tricyclic antidepressants corresponding to amitriptyline (Elavil, Endep) and nortriptyline (Aventil, Pemilar), and gabapentin (Neuronton).
The excellent news is that these problems often go away with modification. For example, your doctor may recommend that you simply switch to a distinct medication, change the dose or frequency, or stop the medication altogether in case your health has improved. “Sometimes, just changing when you normally take your medication can make a difference,” says Dr. Albers.
If you are taking multiple medication, the approach could also be trial-and-error: Your doctor will try to switch one medication at a time, and in case your condition doesn't improve, move on to a different medication. And will repeat this process.
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