Arizona residents might benefit from learning more about how recovery from a brain injury can be hampered by medications prescribed for commonplace conditions. Nearly half of the older patients who take prescriptions for insomnia, depression and bladder problems may suffer delays in recovering from brain injuries. Researchers at the UK’s University of East Anglia studied the effects anticholinergics have on patients who’ve been diagnosed with brain injuries.
Anticholinergics have already been linked to significant side effects such as dizziness, confusion and temporary cognitive impairment. Spinal and brain injury patients typically participate in neuro-rehabilitation, where anticholinergics are often prescribed for urinary incontinence and pain. The study discovered that the patients with a higher rate of anticholinergic drug burden (ACB) in the system averaged a longer stay than those without the higher levels. The direct correlation observed in the study also showed that the respondents with the lower ACB levels spent less time in the hospital.
While these medications might be a necessary part of treatment, the method of application may dictate how much of an adverse effect they have on the recovery process. The cognitive impairment that can be caused by anticholinergics may prevent brain injury patients from fully engaging in rehabilitation therapy. Authors of the study claim the research shows that, at the least, there should be more hesitation recommending any long-term or widespread use of the drug.
Anyone injured by medication or treatment received from a health care facility might benefit from contacting a lawyer. Legal counsel may be prepared to investigate the claim and help establish whether the overseeing physician, staff or entire health care faculty can be held liable for medical negligence. Plaintiffs in these cases are often entitled to receive compensation for the ensuing damages such as medical expenses, rehabilitation costs and corrective procedures.