Nearly three quarters of older adults with dementia take medications that are not designed for their condition. A study in JAMA finds doctors prescribing everything from opioids to antidepressants to epilepsy drugs for patients with Alzheimer’s and related disorders. The drugs are associated with risks including falls or addiction. Researchers say there is slim evidence that they help with dementia.
A new study investigates how COVID-19 patients often lose their sense of smell – which is also a symptom of the common cold. A team of researchers in Europe says the difference is with Coronavirus, that loss of smell happens even though the patient does not have a stuffed nose and can breathe freely. The study says the findings may be evidence that the virus infects the brain and central nervous system.
And women who experience high blood pressure during pregnancy may be more likely to experience menopause symptoms. A study at the Mayo Clinic tracked the records of more than 2,600 women. Those who had blood pressure disorders, like preeclampsia or gestational hypertension, during pregnancy were more likely to suffer hot flashes and night sweats in menopause.
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