In the first installment of this three part series of how various classes of medications contribute to or are associated with memory loss, three commonly prescribed drugs were showcased:
2. Anxiety medications
3. Anti-depression medications
In part two now we explore blood pressure drugs, sleep aid drugs and drugs for incontinence.
To reiterate my position and they reason I am publishing this series you should know I am not against prescribed medications per se. Rather I find it very important to take the stance of searching for underlying reasons for why a patient has a symptom and, if possible, provide a natural solution. Such interventions could include diet changes, lifestyle changes, specific supplementation and specialize brain-based therapies including neurofeedback.Blood Pressure Drugs (beta blockers)
Lopressor®, Toprol® (metoprolol), Coreg® (carvedilol), Inderal® (propranolol), Tenormin® (atenolol), Betapace® (sotalol), Timopic® (timilol)
Slowing the heart rate and lowering the blood pressure are the main reasons for prescribing beta blockers. They are usually given to people with high blood pressure, congestive heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms. They can also be used in the treatment of angina (chest pain), migraines and certain types of glaucoma (as eye
drops).
Beta blockers can cause memory loss because they interfere with norepeinephrine and epinephrine, two important chemical messengers in the brain.
Sleep Aids (nonbenzodiazepine sedative-hypnotics)
Examples: Lunesta® (eszopicoline), Ambien® (zolpidem), Sonata® (zaleplon)
These medications are prescribed to treat insomnia and other sleep problems, as well as mild anxiety. While they are molecularly different from benzodiazepines, they act on many of the same chemical messengers and pathways in the brain. Not only do they have similar side effects, they also cause problems with addiction and withdrawal. They can also trigger starnge behaviors such as cooking a meal or diving a car when sleeping, and having no memory of it when awake.
Incontinence drugs (anticholinergics)
Enablex® (darifenacin), Ditropan XL®, Genique®, Oxytrol® (oxybutinin), Vesicare® (solifenacin), Sanctura® (trospium), Detrol® (tolterodine), Oxytrol for Women® (over the counter oxybutinin)
People who have an overactive bladder are prescribed these drugs because they reduce episodes of an urge to urinate so strong that they can’t always get to the bathroom on time. These drugs block the action of acetylcholine, which prevent involuntary contractions of the muscles that control urine flow. However, in the brain, acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that is a key chemical involved in learning and memory.
A 2006 study showed that oxybutinin had an effect on memory comparable to 10 years of aging - meaning they turned the brains of 67 year olds into the brains of 77 years without having to wait 10 years.
In the last installment, you can learn about memory challenges associated with first generation antihistamines, narcotic pain killers, Parkinson's drugs and anti-seizure medications.
For more details about the natural approach I take with my patients, take a look a the book I wrote entitled: Reclaim Your Life; Your Guide To Revealing Your Body's Life-Changing Secrets For Renewed Health. It is available in my office or at Amazon and many other book outlets.
If you found value in this article, please use the social sharing icons at the top of this post and please share with those you know who are still suffering with knee pain or other chronic health challenges, despite receiving medical management. Help me reach more people so they may regain their zest for living! Thank you!
ALL THE BEST – DR. KARL R.O.S. JOHNSON, DC – DIGGING DEEPER TO FIND SOLUTIONS
*Special thanks to Dr. Brian Smith DC CNS gladly gives me permission to use, post and distribute the chapter in his book entitled "Drugs That Cause Memory Loss" from the book "What Happened to My Memory? Natural Solutions In The Fight Against Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia". The book available at Amazon.com in both hard copy and Kindle versions.
