Memory loss has been common to many people, especially to those at old age. Also referred to as amnesia, it occurs when an individual loses the ability to remember information and events that they would typically be able to recall. In many occasions, memory loss occurs in such a way that a person cannot rememberthings that happened just seconds or minutes ago. According to studies, memory loss worsens over time. There are popular drugs that are highly rated in being responsible for memory loss and cause over 100.000 deaths per year, as well as approximately 1.5 million side effects rendering many people to be hospitalized. The intake of these drugs is associated with some risks and common side effects. Drugs that cause memory loss are categorized into three and any other drug falls into these classes of drugs. The three categories are as follows: 1. Sleeping Pills The regular use of sleeping pills significantly affects memory and in many cases, the pills have been referred to as “amnesia drug,” especially the sedative called Ambien. Users of this drug often experience night terrors, sleep driving and walking, and illusions. Do you know that sleeping pills keep you in a state similar to that of coma through suppressing your brain functions in order to force you into sleep mode? They basically make your brain function unhealthily for the sake of falling asleep. 2. The ‘Anti’ Drugs Most of the drugs like antihistamines, antihypertensive, antispasmodics, antipsychotics or any drugs starting with “anti” will directly affect acetylcholine levels. Acetylcholine is neurotransmitters that primarily help with memory and learning functionality. Symptoms like delirium, blurred vision, and dementia are a result of the low levels of acetylcholine. The major side effects of the ‘anti’ drugs are hallucinations and memory loss. 3. Statin Drugs Statin drugs are aimed to lower the cholesterol levels in the body but are also regarded to be the worst for the memory. This is because a large part of the brain is made up of cholesterol, which plays an important role in learning, fast thinking, and memory. Therefore, drugs that are made to lower cholesterol in the body will definitely affect the brain. Other drugs include naproxen, steroids, quinidine, benzodiazepines, insulin, and high blood pressure drugs, among others. Other Causes of Memory loss There are other causes of memory loss that are associated with one’s immediate surroundings and lifestyle choices. People suffering from memory loss are also likely to have anxiety, stress, and depression. For this reason, they should stay in a stress-free environment. Other common causes are a head injury, which can result from an accident, and a stroke, which blocks blood supply to the brain and causes some tissue to die, thus leading to a memory loss. Source
