I had an AHA! moment recently while reading an article about Alzheimer's Disease and incontinence. You may have one, too.

Incontinence issues often accompany Alzheimer's Disease and many of the other dementias. Doctors often prescribe medication to help with incontinence because it is such a difficult issue for families to cope with.
 
In 2003 - 2004 Wake Forest University researchers did a study comparing nursing home patients with Alzheimer's Disease who were taking an incontinence drug with Alzheimer's patient's who were not taking any medication for incontinence. All of the patients studied were taking an Alzheimer's medication.

Those taking both an Alzheimer's drug and an incontinence medication showed a 50% faster decline in functioning compared to those who were taking only an Alzheimer's medication.

There seems to be a good explanation, too. Alzheimer's medications (Aricept, Razadyne and Exelon) increase the levels of the chemical acetylcholine in the brain. The incontinence drug studied, Ditropan, is designed to block acetylcholine.

These drugs actually work against each other.

While the study was completed several years ago, the results have only recently been presented. The newer incontinence drugs that have more recently hit the market may have less of an effect than Ditropan on those with Alzheimer's disease. However, I would agree with Dr. Kaycee M. Sink, the lead author of the study, who suggests that "clinicians should continue to try non-drug management strategies for incontinence before beginning therapy with one of these common drugs" when treating people with Alzheimer's Disease.

If your loved one with dementia is taking medication for incontinence and you have seen a faster mental decline than you expected, you might want to discuss this with your doctor. It could be that the incontinence medication is contributing to the decline.

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