Do you know that drugs may be the primary factor causing memory loss?
Scientists are aware that memory loss does not always occur as we age. In fact, mental performance changes the connections between existing cells and adds new ones.
Memory loss can result from a variety of factors, such as drug and alcohol addiction, heavy smoking, brain injuries, lack of sleep, extreme stress, vitamin B12 deficiency, and illnesses like Alzheimer's.
However, some prescription medications can also have an impact on your memory. Sadly, in the US, a medication response could be the leading cause of mortality. Each year, prescription medications result in more than 100,000 fatalities and more than 1.5 million hospitalized patients due to negative pharmacological effects.
They’re some of the most common drugs that cause various cognitive health issues, including memory loss:
1. Statin drugs
Statin drugs are often used to regulate high cholesterol levels although they are harmful and can lead to brain damage.
¼ of the brain is made of cholesterol, which is exceptionally important for memory, thinking, and learning. Statin drugs come with various negative effects and can cause memory loss.
2. Sleeping pills
Sleeping pills can cause memory loss and lead to a situation, like being drunk or in coma. In fact, they don’t regulate the sleep needed to the body to recoup itself.
Ambien is just a popular drug that will cause night terrors, sleep driving, sleep walking, and hallucinations.
3. ‘Anti’ drugs
The anti drugs, including antipsychotics, antispasmodics, antidepressants, antibiotics, antihypertensive, antihistamines, affect the levels of acetylcholine within the body, the main neurotransmitter for memory and learning.
Low levels of acetylcholine can cause blurred vision, mental confusion, hallucinations, dementia, delirium, and memory loss. Anticholinergic are drugs that block the effects of acetylcholine.
Side effects of anticholinergics:
- Blurred vision
- Confusion
- Dry mouth
- Loss of bladder get a handle on
- Constipation
- Lightheartedness
- Difficulty to urinate
20 Drugs That Cause Memory Loss
- Steroids
- Antihistamines – Dimetane, Clistin, Tavist, Vistaril, and Benadryl
- Lithium
- Methyldopa
- Naproxen
- Antidepressants – Vivactil, Elavil, Anafranil, Norpramin, Pamelor, and Surmontil
- Interferons
- High blood pressure drugs
- Beta blockers (particularly those used for glaucoma)
- Quinidine
- Insulin
- Benzodiazepines – Ativan, Dalmane, Librium, Klonopin, Doral, Versed, Restoril, Valium, and Xanax
- Parkinson’s infection – scopolamine, glycopyrrolate, and atropine
- Antipsychotics – Haldol and Mellaril
- Barbiturates – Amytal, Seconal, Phenobarbital, and Nembutal
- Epilepsy – Phenytoin and Dilantin
- Chemotherapy drugs
- Antibiotics (quinolones)
- Painkillers – heroin, codeine, and morphine
- Sleeping pills – Sonata, Lunesta, and Ambien
Before taking these drugs, make sure to consult with your doctor loss. So that you can enhance brain health, you should simply take more food supplements, be more physically active and include healthy food choices in your diet.
Well-known over-the-counter medications that cause memory loss
Some over-the-counter drugs block the action of the acetylcholine neurotransmitter, thus leading to memory
Here is a list of 12 popular over-the-counter drugs, which are anticholinergic:
- Zantac (acid reflux)
- Unisom (insomnia)
- Tylenol PM (insomnia and pain)
- Tagamet (acid reflux)
- Sominex ( insomnia)
- Pepcid Ac (acid reflux)
- Nytol (insomnia)
- Excedrin PM (insomnia and pain)
- Dramamine (motion sickness)
- Claritin (allergies)
- Benadryl (allergies)
- Advil PM (sleep and pain)
It is scientifically shown that OTC medications like Benadryl can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
