Dr. Zain Hasan revealed on TikTok that five common medications can cause dementia with repeated use. This anesthetist from Los Angeles with over 635,000 followers posted the informing video, and the drugs he listed may surprise you.
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The first drug that Dr. Hasan mentioned was diphenhydramine, or any antihistamine or anticholinergic medication. After taking them for long periods, antihistamine medication like Benadryl may cause the user to have dementia.
People typically use Antihistamines to treat and relieve allergy symptoms. Even you may have used Benadryl, or a similar medication, before to treat your own allergies. It can alleviate symptoms such as conjunctivitis (itchy eyes), sneezing, hives, or a runny nose.
If someone has motion sickness, they can use this popular drug to treat it. Antihistamines are easy-to-access over-the-counter medications that affect the brain, and with longtime repeated use can be the cause of dementia.
Unexpected drugs that can lead to dementia
Dr. Hasan continued by listing the second medication, which was opiates. If people regularly take drugs like morphine or codeine, Dr. Hasan stated they "affect your brain, they cause you sedation, anything that causes sedation for a long period of time can probably end up causing dementia."
Opiates are pain relievers and can be addictive due to their ability to trigger endorphin release.
The third medication Dr. Hasan said that could cause dementia was Omeprazole. Omeprazole is for patients with conditions that give them too much acid in their stomachs. This drug can increase the amount of beta-amyloid in your brain, which can then lead to dementia.
Medications like Omeprazole are specifically used to treat conditions like GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), heartburn, and stomach ulcers.
Benzodiazepines were the fourth medication that Dr. Hasan mentioned. These are depressant drugs that slow down brain activity and most commonly treat anxiety conditions. Not only that but this medication can treat seizures and insomnia.
If used "for a long period of time", said Dr. Hasan, "it can cause dementia. It makes entire sense. It goes into your central nervous system, it numbs your entire brain, it helps with anxiety, it helps with alcohol withdrawal."
Finally, the fifth drug that can lead to dementia is Tricyclics Antidepressants. These are some of the most intense antidepressants available. This medication boosts your brain's serotonin and norepinephrine levels to help mitigate depression.
You can probably see a common thread between these drugs. Four out of five of the medications listed by Dr. Hasan directly affect your brain. "Anything that sedates your brain for a long period of time, including anesthesia, can cause dementia," he mentioned near the end of the video.
Like with any medication, speak with your primary care doctor before immediately stopping taking these common medications that may cause dementia.
