Bladder control problems affect men and women due to nerve damage and loss of muscle tone, and for men, an enlarged prostate. With sales totaling more than $3 billion according to IMS Health, incontinence drugsmany classified as anticholinergicscontinue to flood the market, but often lead to an increased risk for memory loss and mental decline.
A study conducted by Rush University Medical Center evaluated 870 patients with the average age of 75 over the course of eight years. Throughout the study, 80 percent of the participants took various prescription bladder control drugs, plus other meds for high blood pressure, asthma and Parkinsons disease.
Results showed that after multiple memory recall exercises and challenges, those who took incontinence drugs had a 50 percent faster rate of cognitive decline compared to the group who didnt take them. The findings were presented at a meeting of the American Academy of Neurology.