Dementia Medication Comes with Serious Risks
May 29th, 2009 meg
Side effects associated with several commonly-prescribed dementia drugs may be putting elderly people at risk.
The risks for cholinesterase inhibitors such as Aricept, Exelon and Reminyl may be more serious than once thought.
Cholinesterase inhibitors are often prescribed for people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias because they increase a chemical in the brain that helps memory.
However, the drugs are also known to provoke slower heart rates and fainting episodes.
In a study, it was found that a slower heart rate was experienced by 69% of patients on the medication; in addition, there was a 49% increased need for pacemaker implantation.
