The Top Pharmaceutical Drugs Causing Cognitive-Related Damage

Pharmaceutical drugs pushed by the mainstream medical establishment are notorious for causing countless side-effects leading to even more problems. In fact, the average drug label contains 70 negative side-effects on average, with many drugs reaching the 100’s. Helping to make up the outrageous amount of side-effects caused by pharmaceutical drugs are brain-related side-effects, known to be causing serious damage to many prescription drug users.

Top Pharma Drugs Linked to Cognitive Damage

Collecting data from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System, a company known as AdverseEvents, Inc. conducted a survey of pharmaceutical drugs potentially causing brain-related side-effects. In their quest, the company found more than 50,000 individual adverse event case reports linking to “common brain-related side-effect categories” such as:

• Memory loss (amnesia)
• Loss of libido
• Compulsive behaviors

After analyzing the data collected, the company found which top drug culprits cause the greatest adverse impact on the brain. Used by thousands of individuals to ‘treat’ insomnia, a drug known as Ambien CR was the top drug linked to memory loss-related side-effects. Interestingly enough, it was recently reported that consuming sleep medication not only completely ignores the underlying problem of what is causing sleep issues, but also leads to an increased risk of cancer and premature death.

With about 41 percent of adults diagnosed with insomnia turning to prescription drugs, it is imperative to pass along this information. The top drug shown to lead to the most side-effects, causing inhibition of libido and more, is a hair loss medication known as Propecia. Other drugs making the top 25 count were commonly used antidepressants. Ingested by more than 1 in 10 Americans, antidepressants have also been shown to cause your arteries to thicken 400 percent more than aging.

These pharmaceuticals, as shocking as it may sound, have even been shown to worsen depression and cause suicidal thoughts. As for causing the greatest amount of side-effects related to compulsive behavior, a Parkinson’s medication called Mirapex won the gold trophy. Instead of resorting to this medication, brain exercises have been shown to provide significant relief to Parkinson’s patients. In addition, tai chi can improve balance and lower the risk of fallsin those suffering from mild or moderate Parkinson’s disease.

“This is a very timely and insightful report. While the warning signals in this report don’t necessarily prove a causal relationship, they are often the first sign of such a link. Therefore, it is critical for consumers and prescribers to be aware of such potentially adverse effects. Some of these side effects, such as loss of libido or amnesia, can have a devastating impact on a person’s quality of life,” P. Murali Doraiswamy, M.D., a professor and leading neuropsychiatric drug safety researcher at Duke University Medical Center said.

According to MarketWatch, the top drugs linked to amnesia are:

        Primary Suspect Drug       PRR             ROR
        ----------------------------------------------------
              AMBIEN CR           49.72           84.72
               AMBIEN             32.02           42.98
              NEURONTIN            7.81            8.29
                XYREM              6.86            7.22
               TYSABRI             6.10            6.35
             PEG-INTRON            5.71            5.94
               TOPAMAX             5.54            5.77
               LIPITOR             5.43            5.64
                PAXIL              5.13            5.31
              KLONOPIN             5.03            5.21

Top Drugs Linked to Inhibition of Libido:

        Primary Suspect Drug       PRR             ROR
        ----------------------------------------------------
              PROPECIA            167.29          200.10
               PROSCAR            84.01           91.69
               AVODART            44.03           45.96
          DEPO-TESTOSTERONE       37.19           38.62
                JALYN             26.04           26.72
             COMBIPATCH           22.63           23.14
                PAXIL             17.53           17.80
                BEYAZ             15.23           15.46
              ANDROGEL            14.18           14.37
               NARDIL             12.02           12.15

Top Drugs Linked to Compulsive Behaviors:

        Primary Suspect Drug       PRR             ROR
        ----------------------------------------------------
               MIRAPEX            51.79           79.45
               REGLAN             42.17           56.61
               LANOXIN            25.47           30.67
               EX-LAX             14.45           16.01
               REQUIP             12.71           13.88
              PROPECIA            11.79           12.79
             LITHIUM QD           11.61           12.58
              REQUIP XL           10.67           11.47
                LUVOX             10.30           11.04
               PERMAX              9.84           10.51

Not the First Time Pharma Drugs were Found to Harm the Brain

Previous research found that anticholinergics, commonly taken for a variety of common medical conditions including insomnia, allergies, or incontinence, can harm memory. 

Anticholinergics block acetylcholine, a nervous system neurotransmitter. Those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease typically have a marked shortage of acetylcholine.

“We found that taking one anticholinergic significantly increased an individual’s risk of developing mild cognitive impairment and taking two of these drugs doubled this risk. This is very significant in a population – African-Americans – already known to be at high risk for developing cognitive impairment,” said Noll Campbell, PharmD, first author of the study.

The surprising thing is that many of the drugs are commonly used, brands like Benadryl, Dramamine, Excedrin PM, Nytol, Sominex, Tylenol PM, and Unisom are included in the anticholinergic drug list, but so are Paxil, Detrol, Demerol, and Elavil – antidepressant medications. Sure its great if you don’t feel depressed anymore, but not if it is because the drugs are just killing the brain cells that might ordinarily register sadness or anxiety.

You don’t have to take multiple forms of these drugs, either. Just one anticholinergic will lead to cognitive impairment. Taking two – doubled the risk.

Here is another analysis showing which pharmaceuticals are most likely to result in cognitive damage.

“Simply put, we have confirmed that anticholinergics, something as seemingly benign as a medication for inability to get a good night’s sleep or for motion sickness, can cause or worsen cognitive impairment, specifically long-term mild cognitive impairment which involves gradual memory loss.

As a geriatrician I tell my Wishard Healthy Aging Brain Center patients not to take these drugs and I encourage all older adults to talk with their physicians about each and every one of the medications they take,” said Malaz Boustani, M.D., IU School of Medicine associate professor of medicine.

List of Culprit Drugs:

• Excedrin PM
• Tylenol PM
• Nytol
• Sominex
• Unisom
• Benadryl
• Dramamine

Prescription meds in these categories:

• Paxil
• Detrol
• Demerol
• Elavil

Why wait until you are in your 60s to see if you will develop severe cognitive impairment from taking these drugs? There are numerous herbal remedies for insomnia, as well as pain, and none of them block important neurotransmitters.