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FIVE Britons a day suffer from dementia symptoms after taking medications commonly used to treat depression.
A study conducted last month warned that drugs – called anticholinergics – could increase the risk of brain wasting syndrome by 49%.
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The pills are prescribed to two million adults for bladder, epilepsy, depression and Parkinson's problems.
A Sun investigation has now revealed that the drug watchdog had received 252 reports last year from mentally ill patients after taking medications for these ailments.
Complaints with the Medicines and Health Care Regulatory Agency (MHRA) include memory loss, confusion or diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer's disease.
In total, he received 2,596 alerts in the last decade of patients claiming that the pills had damaged their brains.
NHS guidance advises doctors to consider alternative treatments, especially in frail elderly people.
But experts now want more research to confirm if pills cause dementia and how.
Disturbing figures
Dr. James Pickett, Director of Research at the Alzheimer Society, said, "The short-term side effects on memory and thinking caused by some anticholinergic drugs are well known, and physicians should be cautious when prescribed. elderly and frail.
"Evidence now suggests that the long-term use of certain anticholinergic drugs could increase the risk of dementia.
"But further research is needed to determine exactly what drugs should be avoided for people already at risk for dementia.
"Our research at the University of East Anglia is investigating whether anticholinergic drugs for the bladder might increase the risk, which will tell us if they can cause dementia and how they could do it. "
At present, about 850,000 Britons are suffering from dementia – and this figure is expected to reach a million in the next 10 years.
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There is currently no cure, although some medications may limit symptoms.
An badysis by the University of Nottingham estimates that anticholinergics could be responsible for one in ten new cases, or about 20,000 per year.
Only smoking is a more important modifiable risk factor for dementia.
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Anticholinergic medications help contract and relax muscles.
They block acetylcholine, a chemical that transmits messages into the nervous system.
Previous studies have estimated that between 1.5 and 2 million people in England are likely to take these medications.
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