Most allergy medications found to have strong links to dementia and alzheimers... (bladder, kidneys)
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As if coping with mold and cedar allergies were not already bad enough. I just read an article in Feb. issue of "The Week" news magazine, that says a recent study shows that Benydril and many other allergy medications are linked to a greatly increased risk of dementia and alzhiemers. I’m providing you with this information because I think it would be prudent for you to check and see if any of the medications you are taking are on the list linked below.
I read this article with some alarm, as I have been taking Wal-Dryl (Walgreens version of Benadryl) and after checking, most of the allergy medications I have been taking are on the list of anticholinergic drugs. Many common allergy, medications, sleep medications, bladder control meds and antidepressants are anticholinergic drugs. Needless to say I’m making some major changes in what I take. I'm also seriously reconsidering whether I should not move to another locations where I won't need allergy medications so often.
I searched and found several corroborating articles such as this one from the Harvard Medical School.
A team led by Shelley Gray, a pharmacist at the University of Washington’s School of Pharmacy, tracked nearly 3,500 men and women ages 65 and older who took part in Adult Changes in Thought (ACT), a long-term study conducted by the University of Washington and Group Health, a Seattle healthcare system. They used Group Health’s pharmacy records to determine all the drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter, that each participant took the 10 years before starting the study. Participants’ health was tracked for an average of seven years. During that time, 800 of the volunteers developed dementia. When the researchers examined the use of anticholinergic drugs, they found that people who used these drugs were more likely to have developed dementia as those who didn’t use them. Moreover, dementia risk increased along with the cumulative dose. Taking an anticholinergic for the equivalent of three years or more was associated with a 54% higher dementia risk than taking the same dose for three months or less.
After doing a websearch to find out what other medications are considered a anticholinergic drugs I found this table with an extensive list here, it is from the Aging Brain Program at Indiana University Center for Aging: http://www.agingbraincare.org/upload...legal_size.pdf
An ACB score of 1 means it is a possible anticholinergic drug. An ACB score of 2 or 3 means it is a definite anticholinergic.
Quote:
Each definite anticholinergic may increase the risk of cognitive impairment by 46% over 6 years.
Additionally, each one point increase in the ACB total score has been correlated with a 26% increase in the risk of death.
Allergy medications included on that list of anticholinergic drugs included:
The only common allergy medications I could find that are not on that list are:
Decongestant: Sudefed - pseudophedrine sulfate 120mg Make sure no additional antihistamine are compounded with this drug as they in all likelyhood will be an anticholinergic drug.
Antihistamine: Alegra was evaluated but not added to ACB list. This is the only Antihistamine I have been able to find that was not. My Allergy doctor advised that most Antihistamines probably are anticholinergics.
Most nasal Sprays are safe, such as Nasonex and Asteline.
As if coping with mold and cedar allergies were not already bad enough. I just read an article in Feb. issue of "The Week" news magazine, that says a recent study shows that Benydril and many other allergy medications are linked to a greatly increased risk of dementia and alzhiemers. I’m providing you with this information because I think it would be prudent for you to check and see if any of the medications you are taking are on the list linked below.
I read this article with some alarm, as I have been taking Wal-Dryl (Walgreens version of Benadryl) and after checking, most of the allergy medications I have been taking are on the list of anticholinergic drugs. Many common allergy, medications, sleep medications, bladder control meds and antidepressants are anticholinergic drugs. Needless to say I’m making some major changes in what I take. I'm also seriously reconsidering whether I should not move to another locations where I won't need allergy medications so often.
I searched and found several corroborating articles such as this one from the Harvard Medical School.
After doing a websearch to find out what other medications are considered a anticholinergic drugs I found this table with an extensive list here, it is from the Aging Brain Program at Indiana University Center for Aging: http://www.agingbraincare.org/upload...legal_size.pdf
An ACB score of 1 means it is a possible anticholinergic drug. An ACB score of 2 or 3 means it is a definite anticholinergic.
Allergy medications included on that list of anticholinergic drugs included:
The only common allergy medications I could find that are not on that list are:
Decongestant: Sudefed - pseudophedrine sulfate 120mg Make sure no additional antihistamine are compounded with this drug as they in all likelyhood will be an anticholinergic drug.
Antihistamine: Alegra was evaluated but not added to ACB list. This is the only Antihistamine I have been able to find that was not. My Allergy doctor advised that most Antihistamines probably are anticholinergics.
Most nasal Sprays are safe, such as Nasonex and Asteline.
Wishing you all the best...
We used to get the "Week" it is a good little magazine, but in this case, I think I would have to see the article, see who wrote it, and learn more about the study. Let's face it, first of all, most of us have taken alergy meds; well not most, but a lot have and most of us are just fine and next, we all have to learn to take these things with a grain of salt. Think of all the studies that have been done, later to be proven not complete or not enough people tested. High cholesterol: heart attack (maybe not) sodium: high blood pressure (maybe not) eggs and shellfish, no (maybe wrong) a quart of milk a day for kids: not and on and on and on.
We used to get the "Week" it is a good little magazine, but in this case, I think I would have to see the article, see who wrote it, and learn more about the study. Let's face it, first of all, most of us have taken alergy meds; well not most, but a lot have and most of us are just fine and next, we all have to learn to take these things with a grain of salt. Think of all the studies that have been done, later to be proven not complete or not enough people tested. High cholesterol: heart attack (maybe not) sodium: high blood pressure (maybe not) eggs and shellfish, no (maybe wrong) a quart of milk a day for kids: not and on and on and on.
The quote in my post above and the link to the Harvard Health blog article provides the information you said you would like to see. Here it is again.
A team led by Shelley Gray, a pharmacist at the University of Washington’s School of Pharmacy, tracked nearly 3,500 men and women ages 65 and older who took part in Adult Changes in Thought (ACT), a long-term study conducted by the University of Washington and Group Health, a Seattle healthcare system. They used Group Health’s pharmacy records to determine all the drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter, that each participant took the 10 years before starting the study. Participants’ health was tracked for an average of seven years. During that time, 800 of the volunteers developed dementia. When the researchers examined the use of anticholinergic drugs, they found that people who used these drugs were more likely to have developed dementia as those who didn’t use them. Moreover, dementia risk increased along with the cumulative dose. Taking an anticholinergic for the equivalent of three years or more was associated with a 54% higher dementia risk than taking the same dose for three months or less.
So they are talking about use of these drugs in the present or over time, back to childhood?
The excerpt from the article said the ten years previous to the study.
I'm always suspicious of these studies though. For instance, the people who needed those drugs to begin with could have had weaker immune systems. OR the people who needed those drugs might have lived in more polluted areas and that's why they needed the drugs. Or they could have lived in an area with more allergenic plants and that's why they needed the drugs but it was the allergies that led to the dementia. Maybe they lived in agricultural areas that were sprayed with pesticides and were allergic to whatever agricultural plant was being grown but it was the pesticides that caused the dementia. And so on.
But who knows? It could be true. I only take Sudafed and Astelin, those others dry me out. Anyway, does "are linked to" mean cause and effect?
The excerpt from the article said the ten years previous to the study.
I'm always suspicious of these studies though. For instance, the people who needed those drugs to begin with could have had weaker immune systems. OR the people who needed those drugs might have lived in more polluted areas and that's why they needed the drugs. Or they could have lived in an area with more allergenic plants and that's why they needed the drugs but it was the allergies that led to the dementia. Maybe they lived in agricultural areas that were sprayed with pesticides and were allergic to whatever agricultural plant was being grown but it was the pesticides that caused the dementia. And so on.
But who knows? It could be true. I only take Sudafed and Astelin, those others dry me out. Anyway, does "are linked to" mean cause and effect?
That's a very good point. I lived in highly pollued areas as a kid, and later when my roomate and I moved inland. In the winter you could see the mountains, and in the summer you couldn't tell there were any. As a kid we went out and played in what would be daily first stage smog alerts. I was on a bunch of antihystamines even then. When me moved and I got a new doctor she was amazed since I was taking twice the max dosage for someone my age and it still didn't work. I've gotten so sensitive to them that when necessary I take a spoonfull of the pink sugary benedryl for little kids and it zonks me. But it also works. Kicks in depression and makes me feel zoned too.
I was tested and have only 2/3 normal lung capacity. That is because of the pollution I grew up in. But if you looked at it with stastics, you could say at the same time I was excessively overdosed on anti hystamines. But without the smog I wouldn't have been on them.
And you have to be careful about 'symptoms'. One apparently is forgetting where you put things. When I'm doing a search for my favorite computer glasses and find them on the washing machine you could call it a symptom. But then I've always been like that. I lost stuff in the house just the same as a kid, and so did my son. It's just that when I really have my mind on something small things like where you sat something or what you went looking for get lost in the shuffle.
I do thing we over use them, and too often for no good reason. The side effects we may get used to but they are notable. Benedryl in particular is used for a lot of reasons other than allergies. It will make you sleepy or calm but maybe it shouldn't be used as something which is 'safe'.
From my understanding, 'is linked to' means statistically a greater number of people with a condition use the substance on a regular basis that is 'linked'. Specific studies then should follow to see if the 'linkage' is actual or not.
This seems like a study done by qualified professionals, honestly interested in decreasing the numbers of people with dementia and alzheimers disease, and therefore, I am going to take it to heart. I am dumping my benedryl and my Tylenol PM today, and will never touch the stuff again. I think this is scary. JMHO
Personally, just my nonmedical professional opinion, I feel any synthetic chemical has the potential to harm.
Just as some foods, MEDS. They are to be used sparingly, aftet all other non chemical protocols failed. For a short time. Many are too quick to stop the natural process of healing, let alone deal with the symptoms of trouble brewing.
I once took meds for the slightest of headaches. Over time they are known to harm kidneys.
I would not allow my nose to have the slightest sniffle. Etc.
I became very sick. Took years to reverse bad choices.
How does Claritin work in all of this? Is Claritin just like taking Benedryl? Also, are they talking about people who have taken these meds every day for years?
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