This study made headlines recently, and I’ve previously seen warnings about certain medications associated with increased risk of dementia. An article in the NYT provided a link to a list of medications and their relative risk. https://sagelink.ca/sites/default/files/ACB_Anticholinergic_Burden_List_.pdf Medications with a ‘3’ rating should be avoided if possible. I hadn’t realized that Benadryl was a bad actor, it’s our go-to drug for allergy attacks. Hopefully intermittent use is not a problem.
Benadryl I was told was a very bad actor momsquad. I have had doctors tell me, in caring for my older relatives, that it should be avoided for middle aged and older people especially, as the effects are bad on memory and cognition. Since that is the ingredient in a lot of PM medications for pain and sleep they too should be discontinued unless there is no alternative. The Over- active bladder medications are also negative when it comes to memory and dementia and so many older people depend on them. It is hard to know what to do
The list is not comprehensive it seems. I have a friend who takes Benadryl regularly as a sleep aid, her doctor told her it is safer than Ambien. I was going to suggest she switch to a different antihistamine, but when I looked up doxylamine succinate (Unisom), which is not on the list, I see that it is also a potent anticholinergic.
The American Geriatrics Society has a more extensive list of medications to avoid or use with caution in older adults. It was just updated in 2019. Please use in consultation with your primary care physician.
I think occasional use is different from taking something regularly. Benadryl is an important drug to stop allergic reactions (which can be very dangerous - even deadly). I don’t know of anything else that is a viable substitute. My family will continue to take Benadryl for this purpose (my daughter is allergic to some mysterious things and she takes it when she gets hives).
I use an over the counter sleep aid occasionally; what would be a good alternative? Melatonin doesn’t work for me (I go to sleep but wake up wide awake 4 hours later). Ugh.
My MIL is 82 and has been using Benadryl as a sleep aid nightly for eons, probably for as long as I have known her which is 30 years. She’s sharp as a tack. And there is no telling her now to stop using it! We’ve tried in the past, but she has so much anxiety about being able to sleep that she just won’t give it up. So fingers crossed that she continues to live outside the statistics.
The problem with these types articles is causation vs correlation…do the drugs cause dementia or are they a correlation of underlying reasons that cause dementia (ie difficulty sleeping, other issues etc)…the drugs are associated with risk of dementia, not necessarily the cause of it…
Exactly @engineermomof2 . Dimensions is often accompanied w/depression. It may be that people who suffer certain issues those days address are more likely to also develop dimensions.
@cinnamon1212 - Melatonin doesn’t work for me either. I used to use a liquid sleepezzz or some such which worked like magic but was cautioned against it by my best friend because of the dementia/brain issue correlation (she’s a brain scientist). My primary physician made a suggestion to try an indica based cannabis, which I did. It’s a tincture (sublingual). Seriously, I sleep so beautifully when I use it, don’t wake up groggy, and have zero side effects whatsoever. I use it 20-25 minutes before I am ready for sleep, brush my teeth, etc., slide into bed and the next thing I know it’s morning and I’m up and ready to go.
@RefreshingGel , thank you for that link, very interesting.
I just read the JAMA article more carefully and realized that they do NOT see an association between antihistamine use and increased risk for dementia:
They cite a previous paper that also did not show a link to risk from antihistamines. I wish they would address why this does not disprove their hypothesis, if antihistamines are strongly anticholinergic. They mention the discrepancy briefly but attribute it to the method of data collection.
Sleep is so fundamental to good health, it seems premature to worry about the health effects of antihistamines based on this study.
Physician here. There are always side effects and increased risks. Need to weigh risk/benefit ratio. Need to not worry about a drug have been on a long time then new data suggests problems if the benefits have made a difference for that time. Also the causation/correlation issue.
Uh, above- mean dementia, not dimensions?
btw- sleep aids do not give a person real sleep with all of the needed stages. Recent article I read about that (I never retain titles and authors).
Personally, I’ll take many future risks for a better today. As we age we realize quality of life is better than length, especially if there is the promise of an uncomfortable long life. Hmm- I have another 10 years if I average my mother’s age at her death and my 90+ father’s age. Three out of four grandparents were in their 50’s. Those with parents having dementia may respond differently than those whose families have different outcomes.
Just a note. We are all screwed… Can’t get a bottle of water now since it has arsenic in it.
So the “sleep” aids over the counter are mostly a form of benadryl. So Tylenol pm, the pm is benadryl.
Never take Ambien. I did. It works but your like shutting off oxygen to your brain. Bad side effects and serious ones also. Direct relationship to dementia.
Taking Benadryl occasionally should be OK.
Btw - just found out my high cholesterol med is being recalled due to link with cancer. Just can’t win.