Common prescription drugs could increase the risk of dementia, a doctor has warned.
Clutter ruins the lives of millions of people around the world, slowly robbing them of their memories and independence.
However, according to research, four out of ten cases of memory theft disorder could be prevented with simple lifestyle changes.
There are some factors, such as smoking and drinking, that can increase the risk of developing dementia, but so can some medications.
Dr. Zain Hasan, an American anesthetist, told his 635,000 followers on TikTok that there are five medications that could cause dementia, including some antidepressants, pain relievers and antihistamines.
The first drug he included in his warning were antihistamines used to help relieve allergy symptoms, as well as anticholinergics, which are also used to treat allergies.
These medications, some of which are available without a prescription, are used to treat hay fever, eczema, hives, and conjunctivitis, which causes red, itchy eyes.
However, Dr. Hasan said long-term use has been linked to dementia.
One 2015 USA study tracked the brain health of more than 3,400 participants over 65 years between 1994 and 2012.
The researchers found that there was a link between increasing doses of anticholinergics and those developing dementia.
Another medication thought to cause dementia is opioids, which are often used as pain relievers after surgery, a serious injury, or in cancer patients.
Dr Hasan said: “This is pretty well known, but if you take opiates like morphine regularly, they affect your brain, they cause sedation and anything that causes sedation over a long period of time is probably going to end up causing dementia.”
A 2024 studywhich analyzed data from more than one million chronic pain patients, of whom 21,000 were opioid users, found that those who used opioids had a 15 percent increased risk of developing dementia.
The researchers excluded patients who had been diagnosed with cancer, those who underwent surgery, and those who already had a history of dementia.
Another medication was omeprazole, which is widely used to treat indigestion and heartburn.
He said: “If you take omeprazole regularly, it can increase the amount of beta-amyloid in the brain, which can lead to dementia.”
‘It works as a proton pump inhibitor, it decreases the acid inside the stomach. I’m actually surprised, I had no idea it was linked to dementia.’
Dr. Zain Hasan, an American anesthetist, told his 635,000 followers on TikTok that there are five medications that could cause dementia, including antidepressants, pain relievers and antihistamines.
Omeprazole is a type of proton pump inhibitor and one 2023 study published in the journal Neurology reported that these types of acid reflux medications have been linked to an increased risk of dementia.
The study included 5,712 people over the age of 45 who did not have dementia when the study began. The researchers reviewed the medications people were taking and divided them into four groups; those who had not taken PPIs, those who had taken them for more than two years, up to four years, and more than four years.
By the end of the study, 10 percent of people had developed dementia. The researchers adjusted the data for several demographic and health factors and found that PPI users who had taken the drugs for more than four years had a 33 percent higher risk of developing dementia compared to those who never took the medication.
However, the theory that PPIs increase the amount of beta-amyloid in the brain, therefore increasing the risk of cancer, has only been shown to be true in mice.
Scientists also theorize that PPIs may reduce absorption levels of nutrients, such as vitamin B12, a vitamin essential for brain health.
A type of sedative drug used to treat anxiety, insomnia and seizures called benzodiazepines, such as Valium and Xanax, is also thought to increase the risk of dementia if taken over a long period of time.
Dr. Hasan said: “It makes sense, it goes into the central nervous system, it numbs the whole brain, it helps with anxiety, it helps with alcohol withdrawal.
“If you take them for a long period of time, especially to help you sleep at night, they can cause dementia.”
Several studies have shown a link between the drug and dementia. On a benzodiazepine study A team of researchers from France and Canada selected 2,000 people with Alzheimer’s disease and 7,000 without it.
The researchers found that those who had taken benzodiazepines for three to six months had a 32 percent higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s, and those who took one for more than six months had an 84 percent higher risk than those who had not taken any in his life. .
Dr. Hasan also highlighted that taking tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), a mental health medication that is less commonly prescribed compared to SSRIs, could also cause dementia.
He explained that the issue with all of these medications is that they directly impact the brain, with the exception of omeprazole.
“They all affect the brain, cross the blood-brain barrier, and anything that sedates the brain for a long period of time, including anesthesia, can cause dementia,” warns Dr. Hasan.
He urged those taking these medications to always talk to a doctor before stopping them, especially medications like opioids and benzodiazepines.
Dr. Hasan also suggested those who are “scared or worried about dementia in the future” talk to a doctor about the risks.
There are currently an estimated 982,000 people with dementia in the UK. This number is expected to increase to 1.4 million by 2040.
An estimated 6.7 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s dementia today. This figure could increase to 13.8 million in 2060.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, affecting between 50 and 75 percent of those diagnosed.