CNS Medications as Predictors of Precipitous Cognitive Decline in the Cognitively Disabled Aged:

Memory disorders Delirium disorders Dementia disorders Amnestic disorders Cognitive disorders Background/Aims: Psychotropics and antiepileptics (AE) are medications commonly used among the aged with cognitive decline or dementia, although they may precipitate further cognitive decline. Our aim was to analyze the relationships between the use of (i) psychotropics (i.e. benzodiazepines or related drugs, BZD, antipsychotics, AP, or antidepressants, AD), opioids (Op), anticholinergics (ACh) or AEs or the concomitant use of two of these drugs, and (ii) the risk of precipitous cognitive decline in an older ( 6 65 years) cognitively disabled population. Meth-ods: A longitudinal population-based study of general aged community-dwelling patients was executed in two phases (1990–1991 and 1998–1999) in Lieto, Finland. Fifty-two individuals cog-nitively disabled (MMSE score 0–23) at the 1990–1991 baseline form this study’s sample. Cogni-tive abilities were assessed in each phase with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and medication utilization data were collected in both phases. The mean follow-up time was 7.6 years. Multivariate models were used to analyze the change in MMSE total score between med