If you’re referring to the headline “8 drugs that cause serious dementia,” it needs an important correction: there are no eight medications proven to directly “cause dementia” in everyone who takes them. However, some medications—especially those with strong anticholinergic effects—are associated with cognitive impairment and, with cumulative exposure, an increased risk of dementia in older adults.
P
PubMed Central (PMC)
+1
Medication groups worth reviewing
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl and some sleep/cold products)
Doxylamine (some nighttime sleep aids)
Oxybutynin (used for overactive bladder)
Amitriptyline and some other tricyclic antidepressants
Paroxetine, an antidepressant with strong anticholinergic activity
Hydroxyzine, an antihistamine
Promethazine, an antihistamine/anti-nausea medication
Benzodiazepines, such as diazepam, lorazepam, and alprazolam—which can cause cognitive impairment and delirium in older adults and are generally recommended to be avoided when safer alternatives exist.
P
PubMed Central (PMC)
The 2023 American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria specifically recommends avoiding many strongly anticholinergic medications in older adults because of risks including confusion, delirium, falls, and cognitive impairment. It also notes that cumulative anticholinergic exposure is associated with increased dementia risk.
P
PubMed Central (PMC)
⚠️ Don’t stop these medications suddenly
A medication appearing on such a list doesn’t mean you should discontinue it. Some are appropriate for particular conditions, and abruptly stopping certain drugs—especially benzodiazepines—can be dangerous.
A pharmacist or doctor can review your total anticholinergic burden and determine whether a safer alternative or dose reduction is appropriate.
If you give me the names of the medications you or a family member take, I can go through them individually and explain which ones may affect memory or cognition and what questions to ask the prescriber.
P
Sources
