We have located links that may give you full text access.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
RESEARCH SUPPORT, NON-U.S. GOV'T
Use of medications with anticholinergic properties and cognitive function in a young-old community sample.
OBJECTIVES: To examine whether anticholinergic medications have effects on the level of cognitive function or cognitive decline in persons in their early to mid 60s.
METHODS: A randomly selected community-based sample of 2058 persons aged 60-64 at baseline was interviewed twice over four years. Anticholinergic medication use was determined from self-report medication data using the Anticholinergic Drug Scale. Cognition was assessed with the California Verbal Learning Test I (one trial), Digits Backwards, the Symbol Digit Modalities Test, the Mini-Mental State Exam and simple and choice reaction time. Persons meeting criteria for Mild Cognitive Impairment were identified in a clinical substudy. Mixed models adjusting for age, sex, self-rated depression and physical health, and total number of medications were used to analyse the data.
RESULTS: There was a significant main effect of anticholinergic group averaged across time for the Symbol Digits Modalities Test with poorer performance among anticholinergic medication users. Main effects for the other cognitive tests and mild cognitive impairment were non-significant. No time by anticholinergic group interactions were significant.
CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that exposure to anticholinergic medication is associated with lower level of complex attention in the young-old, but not with greater cognitive decline over time. Although the clinical significance of this is not clear, caution should be taken when prescribing medications with anticholinergic effects to older persons.
METHODS: A randomly selected community-based sample of 2058 persons aged 60-64 at baseline was interviewed twice over four years. Anticholinergic medication use was determined from self-report medication data using the Anticholinergic Drug Scale. Cognition was assessed with the California Verbal Learning Test I (one trial), Digits Backwards, the Symbol Digit Modalities Test, the Mini-Mental State Exam and simple and choice reaction time. Persons meeting criteria for Mild Cognitive Impairment were identified in a clinical substudy. Mixed models adjusting for age, sex, self-rated depression and physical health, and total number of medications were used to analyse the data.
RESULTS: There was a significant main effect of anticholinergic group averaged across time for the Symbol Digits Modalities Test with poorer performance among anticholinergic medication users. Main effects for the other cognitive tests and mild cognitive impairment were non-significant. No time by anticholinergic group interactions were significant.
CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that exposure to anticholinergic medication is associated with lower level of complex attention in the young-old, but not with greater cognitive decline over time. Although the clinical significance of this is not clear, caution should be taken when prescribing medications with anticholinergic effects to older persons.
Full text links
Related Resources
Trending Papers
Proximal versus distal diuretics in congestive heart failure.Nephrology, Dialysis, Transplantation 2024 Februrary 30
Efficacy and safety of pharmacotherapy in chronic insomnia: A review of clinical guidelines and case reports.Mental Health Clinician 2023 October
World Health Organization and International Consensus Classification of eosinophilic disorders: 2024 update on diagnosis, risk stratification, and management.American Journal of Hematology 2024 March 30
Anti-Arrhythmic Effects of Heart Failure Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy and Their Role in the Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death: From Beta-Blockers to Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors and Beyond.Journal of Clinical Medicine 2024 Februrary 27
Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university
For the best experience, use the Read mobile app
All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.
By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.
Your Privacy Choices
You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now
Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university
For the best experience, use the Read mobile app