Study: One-third of older adults with cognitive disorders take risky CNS drugs

A report covered by Medical Xpress highlights a concerning pattern in geriatric care: roughly one in three adults aged 65 and older who have cognitive disorders such as dementia are taking prescription medications that could do them harm. The drugs in question act on the central nervous system and include treatments commonly used for anxiety, sleep difficulties, and psychosis.

Because older adults with cognitive impairments are especially vulnerable to the side effects of these medications, the consequences can be serious. The source notes that such prescriptions are associated with increased emergency department visits and more frequent adverse events, though the full scope of outcomes is not detailed in the excerpt.

The findings underscore a tension between managing behavioral symptoms and protecting an already fragile patient population. While the source does not compare this pattern to younger patients or those without cognitive disorders, it makes clear that the scale of risky prescribing is substantial among this group.