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An 81-year-old female has recently developed symptoms of mild cognitive impairment. She has multiple chronic medical problems, including depression, hypertension, heart failure, diabetes mellitus, and urinary incontinence. Her medications include amitriptyline, digoxin, oxybutynin (Ditropan), hydrochlorothiazide, and metformin (Glucophage).
Which of the patient’s medications could potentially be causing her cognitive problems? (Mark all that are true.)
A) Amitriptyline
B) Digoxin
C) Hydrochlorothiazide
D) Metformin
E) Oxybutynin
A, B, E.
The use of anticholinergic medications is a risk factor for developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), even in young adults. Even though they belong to different classes of medications, amitriptyline, digoxin, and oxybutynin all have anticholinergic properties and can cause MCI (SOR B). Hydrochlorothiazide and metformin do not have anticholinergic properties, and have not been associated with an increased risk of MCI (SOR B).