Abstract
Introduction and hypothesisAnticholinergics are commonly used for a variety of conditions including urinary incontinence. Many studies show the ill effects of anticholinergics on cognition resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. However, the interaction of anticholinergic medications and cumulative anti-cholinergic burden (ACB) of different medications are not well known in general population and amongst health care professionals. Our aim is to study the extent of current awareness of ACB amongst health care professionals which plays a crucial role in educating patients and avoiding these morbidities.MethodsA single centre cross-sectional study of 50 health care professionals who participated voluntarily. A questionnaire was designed to assess the knowledge, beliefs and attitudes towards anticholinergic burden and participants were also asked to choose the ACB score for 17 commonly used medications.ResultsA total of 74% participants admitted to have no understanding of the term ACB, 48% participants prescribe anticholinergics in their daily role, 44% knew that cognition was adversely affected by anticholinergics, and 16% participants were aware of scoring system. Only 16% participants routinely counsel women of cognitive side effects when anticholinergics are started. 86% reported that they would avoid prescribing medications which might affect cognition if possible. If given choice as a patient, 94% would avoid these medications if they were informed of the specific side effects like impaired cognition, physical decline, falls, hospital admissions and increased mortality.ConclusionAnticholinergic burden (ACB) is a serious phenomenon associated with increased morbidity and mortality in the general population as well as elderly population. It is evident from this study that the knowledge and awareness of ACB in our health care staff are still lacking.
Highlights
Introduction and hypothesisAnticholinergics are commonly used for a variety of conditions including urinary incontinence
A total of 74% participants admitted to have no understanding of the term anticholinergic burden (ACB), 48% participants prescribe anticholinergics in their daily role, 44% knew that cognition was adversely affected by anticholinergics, and 16% participants were aware of scoring system
Anticholinergic burden (ACB) is a serious phenomenon associated with increased morbidity and mortality in the general population as well as elderly population
Summary
Anticholinergics are commonly used for a variety of conditions including urinary incontinence. The interaction of anticholinergic medications and cumulative anti-cholinergic burden (ACB) of different medications are not well known in general population and amongst health care professionals. Many studies show the ill effects of anticholinergics on cognition resulting in increased morbidity and mortality [1, 2]. The interaction of anticholinergic medications and cumulative anticholinergic burden (ACB) of different medications are not well known in general population and amongst health care professionals [3]. There are other medications which can have anticholinergic effects and using two or more of these medications together results in cumulative ACB. Our aim was to study the extent of current awareness of health care professionals of ACB which plays a crucial role in educating patients and avoiding these morbidities
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