Abstract
Adverse drug reactions among elderly patients pose a significant clinical problem. The authors used a serum radioreceptor assay [RRA] to quantify drug-induced muscarinic blockade in 34 randomly selected nursing home residents. A random intervention group and the nonintervention control subjects were then retested 4 weeks later. The reduction of serum antimuscarinic activity (as determined by RRA) did relate to changes on several measures of cognitive function. A calculated "antimuscarinic index" lost significance with the RRA following intervention and may have overestimated the impact of a dosage reduction.
Publication types
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Clinical Trial
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Randomized Controlled Trial
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Aged
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Aged, 80 and over
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Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
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Female
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Homes for the Aged*
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Humans
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Male
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Mental Status Schedule / statistics & numerical data*
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Nursing Homes*
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Parasympatholytics / administration & dosage
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Parasympatholytics / adverse effects*
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Parasympatholytics / pharmacokinetics
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Psychometrics
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Receptors, Muscarinic / drug effects
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Receptors, Muscarinic / physiology
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Substance-Related Disorders / blood
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Substance-Related Disorders / diagnosis*
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Substance-Related Disorders / psychology
Substances
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Parasympatholytics
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Receptors, Muscarinic