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How do cognitive and functional impairment relate to the use of anticholinergic medications in hospitalised patients aged 65 years and over?

Version 2 2024-06-03, 23:03
Version 1 2019-06-14, 14:19
journal contribution
posted on 2024-06-03, 23:03 authored by S Kusljic, A Woolley, M Lowe, E Manias
BACKGROUND: Anticholinergic medications are commonly prescribed to older adults despite their unfavourable pharmacological profile. There are no specific systems in place to alert prescribers about the wide range of medications with anticholinergic properties and their cumulative potential. AIMS: To examine associations between medications with anticholinergic properties and cognitive and functional impairment in hospitalised patients aged 65 years and older. METHODS: This descriptive, cross-sectional study included 94 patients admitted to a rehabilitation ward and a geriatric evaluation and management unit. Anticholinergic burden was calculated using the Anticholinergic Risk Scale. The Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination and the Elderly Symptom Assessment Scale tools were utilised to assess cognitive function and burden of anticholinergic symptoms, respectively. RESULTS: Medications with anticholinergic properties were taken by 72.3% of patients with level 1 being the most commonly consumed (median 1, IQR = 0-2) medications. There was no association between anticholinergic medication use and cognitive function or anticholinergic symptoms. Increasing age and the hospital length of stay were associated with fewer anticholinergic symptoms (p < 0.001 and p = 0.021, respectively), whereas the total number of medications consumed was linked to a greater burden of anticholinergic symptoms (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: A lack of association between anticholinergic medications and cognitive function could be related to duration of exposure to this group of medications and the age sensitivity. Additionally, the total number of medications consumed by patients was linked to a greater burden of anticholinergic symptoms. These findings highlight the need for improved knowledge and attentiveness when prescribing medications in general in this vulnerable population.

History

Journal

Aging Clinical and Experimental Research

Volume

32

Pagination

423-431

Location

Germany

ISSN

1594-0667

eISSN

1720-8319

Language

English

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2019, Springer Nature Switzerland AG

Issue

3

Publisher

SPRINGER