Ching-ju Lu1, Larry E Tune. 1. Department of Psychiatry at Wesley Woods Geriatric Teaching and Research Hospital, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30329-5102, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Authors examined the effect of chronic exposure to anticholinergics in a cohort of Alzheimer disease (AD) patients. METHODS: All patients were examined annually with standard neuropsychologic tests and received the cholinesterase inhibitor donepezil hydrochloride at a dose of 10 mg/day. The study population (N=69) was divided into two groups: those receiving one or more concomitant medications with significant anticholinergic properties (N=16) and those receiving no concomitant medications with anticholinergic properties (N=53). RESULTS: At 2 years, MMSE scores were significantly worse for patients receiving anticholinergic medications than for those not on anticholinergics. CONCLUSION: Although very preliminary, these data suggest that concomitant therapy with anticholinergics may be associated with significant deleterious effects on acetylcholinesterase therapy, or, more speculatively, that chronic exposure to anticholinergics may have adverse effects on the clinical course of AD.
OBJECTIVE: Authors examined the effect of chronic exposure to anticholinergics in a cohort of Alzheimer disease (AD) patients. METHODS: All patients were examined annually with standard neuropsychologic tests and received the cholinesterase inhibitor donepezil hydrochloride at a dose of 10 mg/day. The study population (N=69) was divided into two groups: those receiving one or more concomitant medications with significant anticholinergic properties (N=16) and those receiving no concomitant medications with anticholinergic properties (N=53). RESULTS: At 2 years, MMSE scores were significantly worse for patients receiving anticholinergic medications than for those not on anticholinergics. CONCLUSION: Although very preliminary, these data suggest that concomitant therapy with anticholinergics may be associated with significant deleterious effects on acetylcholinesterase therapy, or, more speculatively, that chronic exposure to anticholinergics may have adverse effects on the clinical course of AD.
Authors: Kaycee M Sink; Joseph Thomas; Huiping Xu; Bruce Craig; Steven Kritchevsky; Laura P Sands Journal: J Am Geriatr Soc Date: 2008-04-01 Impact factor: 5.562
Authors: Noll Campbell; Malaz Boustani; Tony Limbil; Carol Ott; Chris Fox; Ian Maidment; Cathy C Schubert; Stephanie Munger; Donna Fick; David Miller; Rajesh Gulati Journal: Clin Interv Aging Date: 2009-06-09 Impact factor: 4.458