{"id":4769,"date":"2015-01-27T13:12:35","date_gmt":"2015-01-27T13:12:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.doctorfox.co.uk\/news\/?p=4769"},"modified":"2022-02-07T10:04:02","modified_gmt":"2022-02-07T10:04:02","slug":"hay-fever-tablets-risk-dementia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.doctorfox.co.uk\/news\/hay-fever-tablets-risk-dementia\/","title":{"rendered":"Do hay fever tablets raise risk of dementia?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Last updated 7 February 2022<\/small><\/p>
<\/p>\n
Alarming headlines in several UK newspapers and news websites this week (27 January 2015) claiming a US study\u00a0concluded common\u00a0hay fever tablets<\/strong> available over the counter raise the risk of developing dementia<\/strong> and Alzheimer’s disease.<\/p>\n
While there are significant findings in the study, the news reporting was not entirely accurate<\/strong> according to NHS ‘Behind the headlines’ (page now removed). Much of the reporting failed to highlight the study focus was on\u00a0prescribed medicine for over 65s only<\/strong>; some brand name drugs contain different ingredients<\/strong> in the US to the UK<\/strong>; and other limitations<\/strong> of the study findings.<\/p>\n
Although some of the drugs can be bought over the counter, the study only included prescribed medicines\u00a0which\u00a0have an anticholinergic<\/em> effect, including some antihistamines, antidepressants and drugs for an overactive bladder, and concludes\u00a0those over 65s taking the highest levels of anticholinergic prescribed medicines<\/strong> were at a higher risk of developing dementia compared with those not taking any.<\/p>\n
Some of the medicine brands also contain different ingredients in the UK than the US: Benadryl and Piriteze do not<\/strong> contain ingredients identified in the study as causes of concern.<\/p>\n
The main statistically significant finding was in a group [over 65 years] taking the equivalent of any of the following medications daily<\/strong> for more than three years<\/strong>:<\/p>\n
\n
xybutynin chloride, 5mg<\/li>\n
chlorpheniramine maleate, 4mg<\/li>\n
olanzapine, 2.5mg<\/li>\n
meclizine hydrochloride, 25mg<\/li>\n
doxepin hydrochloride, 10mg<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
These are not unrealistic doses of medicine, so the results may be applicable to a significant proportion of older adults.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
NHS: Media dementia scare over hay fever and sleep drugs<\/cite><\/p>\n
If you have been prescribed these medicines, you must speak to a doctor first before you stop taking them. It may be more harmful for you to stop, and there is no evidence to say reducing the amount of anticholinergic medicines will reduce the risk of dementia to normal.<\/p>\n
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