Recently, scientists have found that drugs with a type of feature may greatly harm people’s brain health.
The feature is called anticholinergic property. It exists in many commonly prescribed drugs, such as drugs for allergies, Parkinson’s disease, and heart disease.
Previous research has shown that this anticholinergic feature could disturb communication between parts of the nervous system.
The negative outcomes include blurred vision, confusion, and memory loss. They may increase the risks of falls and heart disease.
In a study from the University of Aberdeen, researchers found that drugs with this feature are also linked to a higher risk of stroke.
They examined 22,000 people who took these medicines. The people aged between 39 – 79 years. All of the people were tracked for about 20 years.
The team found that patients taking drugs with a high level of anticholinergic side effect had a much higher risk of stroke.
Their stroke risk was 59% higher and their death risk was 86% higher than people who did not use the drugs.
The researchers explain that drugs with the anticholinergic effect could affect inflammation that plays an important role in the period immediately after a stroke.
The side effect may make people more vulnerable to stroke.
The researchers suggest that doctors and healthcare providers need to be aware of this dangerous side effect and protect their patients from stroke.
Future work needs to test the drug effects on stroke risk in a randomized trial setting.
The lead author of the study is Dr. David Gamble, Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Aberdeen.
The study is published in The International Journal of Epidemiology.
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