{"id":1230,"date":"2017-05-02T18:13:52","date_gmt":"2017-05-02T22:13:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.healthinaging.org\/blog\/?p=1230"},"modified":"2017-06-02T10:20:15","modified_gmt":"2017-06-02T14:20:15","slug":"ptsd-certain-prescriptions-for-ptsd-may-raise-risk-for-dementia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.healthinaging.org\/blog\/ptsd-certain-prescriptions-for-ptsd-may-raise-risk-for-dementia\/","title":{"rendered":"PTSD, Certain Prescriptions for PTSD May Raise Risk for Dementia"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"JAGS<\/a>Journal of the American Geriatrics Society<\/em> Research Summary<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Researchers are discovering that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a significant risk factor in developing dementia. Dementia is a memory problem\u00a0that affects a person\u2019s ability to carry out\u00a0usual tasks. Dementia is a leading cause of serious illness, disability, and death.\u00a0 It often requires care in a nursing home or other long-term care facility for people aged 65 and older.<\/p>\n

Until now, researchers didn\u2019t know whether the kinds of medications used for people with PTSD could increase risks for dementia. (These medications include including antidepressants, antipsychotics, sedatives, or tranquilizers.) A new study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society<\/em>, examined this connection.<\/p>\n

In their study, researchers examined information from 3,139,780 veterans aged 56 and older. At the beginning of the study, in 2003, the veterans were receiving health care from a Veterans Health Administration facility. Almost all the veterans were male and 82% were white.<\/p>\n

Of the veterans in the study, 5.4% had been diagnosed with PTSD. As the researchers looked at the data over the study\u2019s nine-year follow-up period, they also included veterans who were diagnosed with dementia.<\/p>\n

Research has previously shown that veterans with PTSD are more likely to have health problems linked to a higher risk for dementia. These include traumatic brain injury, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), psychiatric disorders, substance abuse, and other health issues.<\/p>\n

In this study, researchers discovered that taking certain antidepressants, tranquilizers, sedatives, or antipsychotic medications significantly increased veterans\u2019 risks for developing dementia compared to the risks for veterans who didn\u2019t take such medications.<\/p>\n

Medicines that significantly increased dementia risk included:<\/p>\n