A Prospective Audit Investigating How the Anticholinergic Effect of Medications on Cognition Is Assessed and Reduced in Patients Admitted to an Older Adult Ward in a Psychiatric Hospital

Aims: Older adults often have multiple comorbidities associated with an increased risk of anticholinergic effects. Mental health medications increase this risk, contributing to cognitive decline, dementia, memory loss and confusion. Evidence suggests stopping these medications can reduce cognitive d...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Dinushi Marambe, Prami Rai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2025-06-01
Series:BJPsych Open
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472425106303/type/journal_article
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849417270582837248
author Dinushi Marambe
Prami Rai
author_facet Dinushi Marambe
Prami Rai
author_sort Dinushi Marambe
collection DOAJ
description Aims: Older adults often have multiple comorbidities associated with an increased risk of anticholinergic effects. Mental health medications increase this risk, contributing to cognitive decline, dementia, memory loss and confusion. Evidence suggests stopping these medications can reduce cognitive deterioration and progression of dementia. MediChec is an online tool that calculates an Anticholinergic Effect on Cognition (AEC) score. An AEC score above 2 and a total AEC score above 3 require a medication review for potential adjustment or deprescribing. This audit aims to determine whether the AEC scores were recorded at admission, during admission, and at discharge. Additionally, it assesses if further actions were taken to deprescribe unsuitable anticholinergics, resulting in a lower AEC score before discharge.
format Article
id doaj-art-983b94d990c64d9e9068bbcd0c6fadd0
institution Kabale University
issn 2056-4724
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Cambridge University Press
record_format Article
series BJPsych Open
spelling doaj-art-983b94d990c64d9e9068bbcd0c6fadd02025-08-20T03:32:54ZengCambridge University PressBJPsych Open2056-47242025-06-0111S255S25610.1192/bjo.2025.10630A Prospective Audit Investigating How the Anticholinergic Effect of Medications on Cognition Is Assessed and Reduced in Patients Admitted to an Older Adult Ward in a Psychiatric HospitalDinushi Marambe0Prami Rai1Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust, Canterbury, United KingdomKent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust, Canterbury, United KingdomAims: Older adults often have multiple comorbidities associated with an increased risk of anticholinergic effects. Mental health medications increase this risk, contributing to cognitive decline, dementia, memory loss and confusion. Evidence suggests stopping these medications can reduce cognitive deterioration and progression of dementia. MediChec is an online tool that calculates an Anticholinergic Effect on Cognition (AEC) score. An AEC score above 2 and a total AEC score above 3 require a medication review for potential adjustment or deprescribing. This audit aims to determine whether the AEC scores were recorded at admission, during admission, and at discharge. Additionally, it assesses if further actions were taken to deprescribe unsuitable anticholinergics, resulting in a lower AEC score before discharge.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472425106303/type/journal_article
spellingShingle Dinushi Marambe
Prami Rai
A Prospective Audit Investigating How the Anticholinergic Effect of Medications on Cognition Is Assessed and Reduced in Patients Admitted to an Older Adult Ward in a Psychiatric Hospital
BJPsych Open
title A Prospective Audit Investigating How the Anticholinergic Effect of Medications on Cognition Is Assessed and Reduced in Patients Admitted to an Older Adult Ward in a Psychiatric Hospital
title_full A Prospective Audit Investigating How the Anticholinergic Effect of Medications on Cognition Is Assessed and Reduced in Patients Admitted to an Older Adult Ward in a Psychiatric Hospital
title_fullStr A Prospective Audit Investigating How the Anticholinergic Effect of Medications on Cognition Is Assessed and Reduced in Patients Admitted to an Older Adult Ward in a Psychiatric Hospital
title_full_unstemmed A Prospective Audit Investigating How the Anticholinergic Effect of Medications on Cognition Is Assessed and Reduced in Patients Admitted to an Older Adult Ward in a Psychiatric Hospital
title_short A Prospective Audit Investigating How the Anticholinergic Effect of Medications on Cognition Is Assessed and Reduced in Patients Admitted to an Older Adult Ward in a Psychiatric Hospital
title_sort prospective audit investigating how the anticholinergic effect of medications on cognition is assessed and reduced in patients admitted to an older adult ward in a psychiatric hospital
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472425106303/type/journal_article
work_keys_str_mv AT dinushimarambe aprospectiveauditinvestigatinghowtheanticholinergiceffectofmedicationsoncognitionisassessedandreducedinpatientsadmittedtoanolderadultwardinapsychiatrichospital
AT pramirai aprospectiveauditinvestigatinghowtheanticholinergiceffectofmedicationsoncognitionisassessedandreducedinpatientsadmittedtoanolderadultwardinapsychiatrichospital
AT dinushimarambe prospectiveauditinvestigatinghowtheanticholinergiceffectofmedicationsoncognitionisassessedandreducedinpatientsadmittedtoanolderadultwardinapsychiatrichospital
AT pramirai prospectiveauditinvestigatinghowtheanticholinergiceffectofmedicationsoncognitionisassessedandreducedinpatientsadmittedtoanolderadultwardinapsychiatrichospital