TULSA: Drugs with anticholinergic effects include tricyclic antidepressants, antihistamines, some muscle relaxants, some intestinal relaxants, treatments for dizziness and drugs that treat overactive bladder.
Between 10 and 40 percent of older adults take drugs with anticholinergic effects. We’ve known for a long time that these drugs can cause temporary symptoms such as sleepiness, confusion, and problems with short term memory and reasoning.
Earlier this year, researchers published a study which indicated that these drugs also may increase the risk of a long-term problem: dementia…