1
|
Bishara D. Managing drugs with anticholinergic activity. Drug Ther Bull 2023; 61:135-139. [PMID: 37648260 DOI: 10.1136/dtb.2022.000066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Over the past two decades, considerable data have emerged on an association between drugs with anticholinergic activity and serious adverse effects in older people. Well-recognised anticholinergic adverse effects include dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation and urinary retention. Of particular concern is the potential impact on cognitive function with several studies showing that long-term use of medicines with anticholinergic activity is associated with worsening of cognitive function, increased incidence of dementia and increased mortality. This article gives an overview of the evidence, discusses some of the tools used to identify high-risk drugs and highlights issues to consider when prescribing drugs with anticholinergic activity with a view to reducing potential risks in older people and those at highest risk of cognitive impairment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Delia Bishara
- Mental Health of Older Adults and Dementia, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Wong HL, Weaver C, Marsh L, Mon KO, Dapito JM, Amin FR, Chauhan R, Mandal AKJ, Missouris CG. Polypharmacy and cumulative anticholinergic burden in older adults hospitalized with fall. Aging Med (Milton) 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/agm2.12250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ho Lun Wong
- Wexham Park Hospital, Frimley Health NHS Trust Slough UK
| | - Claire Weaver
- Wexham Park Hospital, Frimley Health NHS Trust Slough UK
| | - Lauren Marsh
- Wexham Park Hospital, Frimley Health NHS Trust Slough UK
| | - Khine Oo Mon
- Wexham Park Hospital, Frimley Health NHS Trust Slough UK
| | - John M. Dapito
- Wexham Park Hospital, Frimley Health NHS Trust Slough UK
| | - Fouad R. Amin
- Wexham Park Hospital, Frimley Health NHS Trust Slough UK
- Al Azhar University Cairo Egypt
| | - Rahul Chauhan
- Wexham Park Hospital, Frimley Health NHS Trust Slough UK
| | | | - Constantinos G. Missouris
- Wexham Park Hospital, Frimley Health NHS Trust Slough UK
- University of Nicosia Medical School Nicosia Cyprus
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ramos H, Moreno L, Pérez-Tur J, Cháfer-Pericás C, García-Lluch G, Pardo J. CRIDECO Anticholinergic Load Scale: An Updated Anticholinergic Burden Scale. Comparison with the ACB Scale in Spanish Individuals with Subjective Memory Complaints. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12020207. [PMID: 35207695 PMCID: PMC8876932 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12020207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The increase in life expectancy has also been accompanied by an increase in the use of medication to treat chronic diseases. Polypharmacy is associated with medication-related problems such as the increase in the anticholinergic burden. Older people are more susceptible to anticholinergic effects on the central nervous system and this, in turn, may be related to cognitive impairment. In this paper, we develop an updated anticholinergic burden scale, the CRIDECO Anticholinergic Load Scale (CALS) via a systematic review of the literature and compare it with the currently most used Anticholinergic Burden Scale (ACB). Our new scale includes 217 different drugs with anticholinergic properties, 129 more than the ACB. Given the effect that anticholinergic medications have on cognitive performance, we then used both scales to investigate the relationship between anticholinergic burden and cognitive impairment in adult Spanish subjects with subjective memory complaint. In our population, we observed an association between cognitive impairment and the anticholinergic burden when measured by the new CALS, but not when the ACB was applied. The use of a more comprehensive and upgraded scale will allow better discrimination of the risk associated with the use of anticholinergic medications on cognitive impairment. CALS can help raise awareness among clinicians of the problems associated with the use of medications, or combinations of them, with large anticholinergic effect, and promote a better personalized pharmacological approach for each patient.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hernán Ramos
- Cátedra DeCo MICOF-CEU UCH, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 46115 Valencia, Spain; (H.R.); (L.M.); (J.P.-T.); (C.C.-P.); (G.G.-L.)
- Department of Pharmacy, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 46115 Valencia, Spain
| | - Lucrecia Moreno
- Cátedra DeCo MICOF-CEU UCH, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 46115 Valencia, Spain; (H.R.); (L.M.); (J.P.-T.); (C.C.-P.); (G.G.-L.)
- Department of Pharmacy, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 46115 Valencia, Spain
| | - Jordi Pérez-Tur
- Cátedra DeCo MICOF-CEU UCH, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 46115 Valencia, Spain; (H.R.); (L.M.); (J.P.-T.); (C.C.-P.); (G.G.-L.)
- Institut de Biomedicina de València-CSIC, CIBERNED, Unitat Mixta de Neurologia i Genetica, IIS La Fe, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Consuelo Cháfer-Pericás
- Cátedra DeCo MICOF-CEU UCH, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 46115 Valencia, Spain; (H.R.); (L.M.); (J.P.-T.); (C.C.-P.); (G.G.-L.)
- Alzheimer Disease Research Group, Health Research Institute La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Gemma García-Lluch
- Cátedra DeCo MICOF-CEU UCH, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 46115 Valencia, Spain; (H.R.); (L.M.); (J.P.-T.); (C.C.-P.); (G.G.-L.)
- Alzheimer Disease Research Group, Health Research Institute La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Juan Pardo
- Cátedra DeCo MICOF-CEU UCH, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 46115 Valencia, Spain; (H.R.); (L.M.); (J.P.-T.); (C.C.-P.); (G.G.-L.)
- Embedded Systems and Artificial Intelligence Group, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 46115 Valencia, Spain
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|