Drug Side Effect Linked With Increased Health Risks for Over 65

The study is the first systematic investigation into the long term health impacts of 'anticholinergic activity'.

A new research led by the University of East Anglia (UEA) says a side effect of many commonly used drugs appears to increase the risks of both cognitive impairment and death in older people.

The study is the first systematic investigation into the long term health impacts of "anticholinergic activity" – a known potential side effect of many prescription and over the counter drugs which affects the brain by blocking a key neurotransmitter called acetylcholine.

Medicines with some degree of anticholinergic effect are wide-ranging and many are frequently taken by older people. The groups with the greatest impact include: anti-depressants such as Amitriptyline, Imipramine and Clomipramine; tranquilisers such as Chlorpromazine and Trifluoperazine; bladder medica