Anticholinergic burden and most common anticholinergic-acting medicines in older general practice patients

Anticholinergic burden quantified by anticholinergic risk scales and adverse outcomes in older people: a systematic review

BACKGROUND The cumulative effect of taking multiple medicines with anticholinergic properties termed as anticholinergic burden can adversely impact cognition, physical function and increase the risk of mortality. Expert opinion derived risk scales are routinely used in research and clinical practice to quantify anticholinergic burden. These scales rank the anticholinergic activity of medicines ...

Anticholinergic Medications and Cognition in Older Adults

The anticholinergic risk scale and anticholinergic adverse effects in older persons.

BACKGROUND Adverse effects of anticholinergic medications may contribute to events such as falls, delirium, and cognitive impairment in older patients. To further assess this risk, we developed the Anticholinergic Risk Scale (ARS), a ranked categorical list of commonly prescribed medications with anticholinergic potential. The objective of this study was to determine if the ARS score could be u...

Anticholinergic and sedative medicines - prescribing considerations for people with dementia.

BACKGROUND Older people with dementia may be particularly susceptible to cognitive impairment associated with anticholinergic and sedative medicines. This impairment may be misattributed to the disease process itself. OBJECTIVE This review examines clinical considerations associated with using anticholinergic and sedative medicines in people with dementia or incipient cognitive impairment. It...

Anticholinergic burden is associated with recurrent and injurious falls in older individuals.

OBJECTIVE While the anticholinergic activity of medications has been linked to cognitive decline, few studies have linked anticholinergic burden with falls in older people. We evaluated the relationship between anticholinergic burden and recurrent and injurious falls among community-dwelling older adults. STUDY DESIGN This case-control study was performed on 428 participants aged ≥65 years, 2...