4 Medications That May Increase Dementia Risk

AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTExperts have flagged several over-the-counter and prescription medications.Credit...Lorena SpurioApril 22, 2026If you look inside your medicine cabinet, there’s likely some good news and bad news when it comes to brain health. A few common medications, like statins or drugs to treat high blood pressure, appear to help lower the risk for dementia. But others, including some you can buy over the counter, may increase the risk.Most of the research conducted has been observational, so it’s possible that factors other than the medications could explain the association with dementia. (Remember, correlation doesn’t always equal causation.) But there are a few drugs that experts think could be negatively affecting brain health more directly.AntihistaminesThe class of medications with perhaps the most evidence of raising dementia risk are called anticholinergics. They work by blocking the activity of the neurochemical acetylcholine, which is important for attention and memory.Antihistamines, which are used as allergy medications and over-the-counter sleep aids, are one of the most common types. Other varieties are prescribed to treat depression and bladder issues, among other things.In the short term, anticholinergics can cause drowsiness and memory impairment. In the long term, several studies suggest they can increase dementia risk by roughly 50 percent.The