Narcotic painkillers (opioids)
With the latest scandals surrounding the opioid crisis and the lawsuit involving one of the biggest producers of narcotic painkillers on the market, it is not surprising that our list starts with this type of medication, as they have been linked to memory loss in seniors and adults alike, alongside the fact that they can become addictive.
These types of medications have been used to treat and relieve severe and moderate pain associated with injuries and even surgery recovery, along with a treatment meant for chronic pain. They come in different forms, from tablets to intravenous solutions, suppositories, and even patches. Generally speaking, they are efficient painkillers because they dull the reaction an individual has when it comes to the pain receptors, and this can cause them to affect other parts of the brain since they are located in the same area.
Thus, these narcotic painkillers can end up affecting both long- and short-term memory, and they have been shown to cause issues with memory loss in seniors when they have been used for prolonged periods of time. What’s more, research has shown that there is a clear link between the usage of these drugs and the development of dementia in older patients, so it would be a good idea to talk to your doctor if you are using these types of painkillers and you have a history of dementia in your family.
