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Prescription drugs cause more than 100,000 deaths worldwide each year and produce serious adverse effects requiring hospitalization in another 1.5 million people.
Adverse drug reactions are cited as the 4th most common cause of death. Every prescription drug therefore represents some health risk. Memory loss is one of them.
3 groups of drugs that most often lead to memory problems
There are 3 groups of drugs that have a greater impact on the brain and its cognitive abilities than other drugs.
If you are taking a drug from such a group, there is a high chance it will have adverse effects on memory.
1. Drugs that are “anti” something
Any drug beginning with the word “anti”, such as antidepressants, antihistamines, antibiotics, antispasmodics or antihypertensives, will likely affect your acetylcholine levels.
Acetylcholine is the primary neurotransmitter responsible for memory and learning.
Low levels can produce symptoms very similar to those seen in dementia, as well as memory loss, mental disorientation, blurred vision, hallucinations or delirium.
2. Sleeping pills
Prescribed sleep aids are notoriously known to lead to memory loss.
Some people even call the most popular sleeping drugs Zolpidem Teva and Zolpidem Orion (containing the active ingredient zolpidemtatrat) drugs for amnesia.
Users of these drugs are known for wakeful sleep, unresponsiveness, risky driving and hallucinations ..
Drugs containing the substance zolpidemtatrat can induce coma‑like states or drunken blackouts and at the same time deprive the brain of restorative sleep.
There are better ways to treat insomnia!
3. Statins
Statins, which lower blood cholesterol, are arguably the most harmful group of drugs for your brain. It is even now required that memory loss be listed in their package inserts as a possible side effect.
Cholesterol makes up as much as 1/4 of your brain and is essential for memory, learning and quick thinking functions.
So it is no surprise that drugs that lower blood cholesterol have undesirable side effects on the brain.
20 drugs that cause memory loss
Now let’s take a closer look at the list of 20 specific drugs that are notoriously known for their possible risks to the brain:
- Epilepsy drugs – Phenytoin (Sodanton, Topiramate Vipharm)
- Drugs for Parkinson’s – Scopolamine, Atropine, Glycopyrrolate
- Sleeping pills – Zolpidem, Zopiclone, Zaleplon (Sonata)
- Painkillers – Morphine, Codeine
- Benzodiazepines – Diazepam, Alprazolam (Xanax), Lorazepam
- Lithium
- Quinidine
- Insulin
- Steroids
- Antibiotics – Ciprofloxacin
- Chemotherapy
- 12 antihistamines
- Interferons
- Drugs containing Naproxen – Emoxen Gel, Nalgesin S, Napsyn, Vimovo
- Tricyclic antidepressants – Noveril, Anafranil, amitriptyline
- Drugs for high blood pressure
- Beta blockers (especially those used for glaucoma)
- Drugs containing methyldopa – Dopegypt
- Antipsychotics – Haloperidol, Thioridazine
- Barbiturates – amobarbital, pentobarbital, secobarbital, phenobarbital
The above list was prepared by Richard C. Phos, Ph.D., former director of the Department of Psychiatry at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
So what should you do?
If you are taking any of the listed drugs, we recommend consulting your doctor if you notice any adverse effects on your memory.
It would be best if your doctor helped you find either safer alternatives to these drugs or suggest healthy lifestyle changes that would remove the need for medication .
If you do continue taking them, try to reduce the burden on your brain with a proactive approach, such as better nutrition, more exercise and supplements that support the brain.
So simply put: Try to create an environment that preserves your brain’s performance capacity despite the adverse effects of your medications.
