Important Information to Know on Memory Loss, Dementia, & Alzheimer’s
Many people are concerned about an elderly person’s well-being when they start showing signs of Alzheimer’s, dementia, and memory loss. While there is no cure for dementia, there are several things one can do to help patients feel better and support their thinking capacity.
Doctors regularly recommend things like avoiding several frequently prescribed drugs and guarding against disorientation to try and keep dementia patients safe.
Dealing with behavioral issues is among the most challenging aspects of Alzheimer’s as well as other forms of dementia.
Outside the persistent memory and reasoning issues that characterize dementia, these indications arise and include issues such as:
- unusual thoughts, paranoid tendencies, or delusions
- Aggressive conduct or agitation
- Walking or pacing restlessly
- Impulsive behavior involves speaking or acting in a way that is not appropriate for social situations.
- Problems in sleep
Medication to Manage Behavioral Issues in Dementia Patients
- Antidepressants
- Antipsychotics
- Mood-stabilizing drugs
- Dementia drugs
- Benzodiazepines
Before turning to medication, it’s critical to try to pinpoint what is instigating or exacerbating the behavior and to try non-drug solutions, such as exercise or meditation. Make certain to address any potential pain or discomfort, as they are commonly neglected in dementia patients.
Avoid Brain-Slowing Drugs If You’re Concerned About Memory Loss
If you observe memory or cognitive abnormalities in yourself or an elderly person, there are several things you can and must do. And you ought to do it as it ultimately affects both your life’s quality and your brain’s health.
Finding drugs that impair cognitive abilities is the first thing to do.
Every household and an elderly person should be aware of methods to enhance cognitive abilities. The answer to accomplishing this is eliminating problematic drugs or, at the very minimum, taking them sparingly and in the minimum dosage required.
Following are the medications that impair cognitive functions, and you should watch out for them when suffering from memory loss.
- Anticholinergics – This group includes a wide range of different pharmaceutical drugs in addition to the majority of over-the-counter sedatives.
- Benzodiazepines – It’s common practice to administer this family of drugs to treat anxiety or aid in sleep. While they do help in this regard, they are addictive and are linked to dementia development.
- Mood stabilizers and antipsychotics – These are typically administered to elderly persons to control challenging behaviors brought on by dementias like Alzheimer’s and others. All mood stabilizers and antipsychotics are sedatives that impair cognitive capability.
- Prescription sedatives without benzodiazepines – The “z-drugs,” namely eszopiclone, zaleplon, and zolpidem are among the most often used. Clinical research has found that these cause cognitive and balance impairments.
Final Thoughts
Once it comes to selecting drugs to treat the mental impairment of Alzheimer’s and other dementias, it’s natural to become somewhat bogged down in the details.
Generally, these drugs appear to provide little, if any, value to most patients.
In fact, taking these drugs is not likely to assist Alzheimer’s patients in maintaining cognitive function, so they may comfortably stay at home or bring about other changes that families frequently hope for.
Therefore, it is important not to forget to consider alternatives to medicine; there are numerous effective strategies for improving brain health and postponing cognitive loss in dementia.
