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Dangerous cocktail
Alcohol and meds don’t mix for older Aussies.
O
lder Australians who consume alcohol while taking
common prescription medications are putting their
health at serious risk, new research shows.
“While drinking levels in young people are reducing,
we’re seeing older Australians actually increasing their alcohol
consumption,” says Edith Cowan University researcher
Dr Stephen Bright.
“This trend is concerning because older Australians are
at increased risk of experiencing health complications from
alcohol since they are more likely to have a chronic illness that
alcohol can exacerbate and make more difficult to treat.
“They are also likely to be prescribed an average of four
medications and be taking several herbal supplements.”
Bright says that when older people mix medications with
alcohol, there is an increased risk of developing serious side
effects, and alcohol can even reduce the effectiveness of
some drugs.
“That could lead to psychiatric symptoms, stomach ulcers or
cardiovascular events. And in some cases, it can be fatal,” he adds.
The study looked at the alcohol and medication consumption
of 72 older adults discharged from a Victorian-based alcohol and
other drugs treatment service.
It found that of those who were drinking alcohol at hazardous
levels, 92 per cent were also taking at least one medication that
placed them at high risk of serious adverse side-effects.
Bright says his findings highlight the need for specific alcohol
guidelines for older people in conjunction with alcohol monitoring
by healthcare professionals, and patients themselves, as part of
general health checkups.
“There’s not enough awareness about what a safe level of
drinking is, particularly for older people and those also taking
medications,” he says.
“We need to encourage more people to have the conversation
with their doctor, pharmacist or healthcare professional so that
they can look at alternative medications or give advice on what a
safe level of drinking is, if any.” ■
Beefing up
your brain
Could testosterone supplements
delay cognitive decline?
T
estosterone supplements have
been found to improve cognitive
function in older men, according to
researchers at Edith Cowan University.
The researchers analysed the results of
14 randomised controlled trials, including
one recently published in the American
Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, and are
now calling for Australian men to volunteer
for their own randomised controlled trial.
“As we age, our brains gradually shrink,
leading to a decline in memory, problem-
solving and other cognitive functions,”
said study co-author Associate Professor
Hamid Sohrabi.
“This evidence shows that testosterone
supplementation may help men stay
mentally sharp into old age.”
The researchers say this finding could
potentially lead to a way to delay the onset
of dementia.
The lead researcher of the review,
Professor Ralph Martins, AO, said that if
“testosterone supplementation, either
alone or in combination with other
treatments, can delay the onset of
symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease by a few
years, this could make a huge difference
to the lives of those with the disease and
their families”.
The trial, set up by Martins and Sohrabi,
will test whether testosterone used on its
own or in combination with fish oil can
delay the cognitive decline associated with
Alzheimer’s disease.
They are calling for male volunteers
between 60 and 80 years old, without
major medical conditions and who are not
currently taking testosterone treatments, to
take part in the study.
For more information about the trial or
to volunteer, email Shane Fernandez at the
Australian Alzheimer’s Research Foundation
(WA) or phone (08) 6304 3966. ■
agedcareinsite.com.au
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