Rethinking medicines part 4: cognition
This article discusses the risks of polypharmacy in older patients, specifically focusing on how medications can mimic or exacerbate dementia symptoms. It highlights the importance of medication reviews and deprescribing to improve the quality of life for elderly individuals.
Why it matters
As the global population ages, managing medication burden is critical to preventing unnecessary cognitive decline and improving patient safety in aged care.
Cognition and medicine burden is the next topic in this series exploring common medicine-related issues in older people, with practical guidance for the aged care workforce.
Rose, 86, lives with dementia. Recently, her daughter has noticed that she is increasingly drowsy, less engaged in conversations and needing more help with everyday activities. Her GP has ordered tests to rule out potential underlying causes, including urinary tract infection, vitamin B12 deficiency, hypothyroidism and anaemia. The family is concerned that her dementia is progressing. Her medicines have been largely unchanged since her last review and include a benzodiazepine at night, an antipsychotic and donepezil, a cholinesterase inhibitor.
Older people taking multiple medicines may be exposed to medicines that contribute to sedation, confusion or cognitive impairment. These effects can be additive and increase overall treatment burden, making it difficult to distinguish medicine-related adverse effects from progression of an underlying condition.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in