Drugs with most brain side effects, from FDA database

[Altostrata]

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/list-of-top-prescription-drugs-linked-to-brain-related-side-effects-released-by-adverseevents-inc-2012-03-12 Not surprisingly, psychiatric drugs are on this list.

 

press release

 

List of Top Prescription Drugs Linked to Brain-Related Side Effects Released by AdverseEvents, Inc.

March 12, 2012, 9:02 a.m. EDT

 

HEALDSBURG, CA, Mar 12, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- In recognition of Brain Awareness Week, AdverseEvents, Inc., the leading resource for information on drug side effects, has released a report identifying FDA approved medications that are most associated with causing brain-related side effects. Brain Awareness Week is March 12-18, 2012.

 

AdverseEvents, Inc. conducted a survey of marketed drugs suspected of causing brain-related side effects .... AdverseEvents used RxFilter™, its proprietary data aggregation and refinement process, to gather data from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) database. The Company found over fifty thousand (50,000) individual adverse event case reports linked to common brain-related side effect categories: memory loss (amnesia), inhibition of libido, and compulsive behaviors (such as uncontrolled gambling, compulsive hoarding, binge eating, hair pulling or nail biting).

 

The top drug linked to memory loss (amnesia) side effects was Ambien CR (an insomnia medication). Others in the top 25 included Neurontin, Lyrica, and Topomax (medicines used for epilepsy, pain and bipolar disorder), Xyrem (narcolepsy medicine), Tysabri and Avonex (multiple sclerosis treatments), Lipitor (a cholesterol medicine), Xanax and Klonopin (anxiolytics), Chantix (smoking cessation) and Detrol (incontinence medicine). Among the statins, Lipitor, Mevacor, Zocor, and Pravachol all had elevated signals for reports of memory loss with over 900 such cases for Lipitor alone since 2004.

 

The top drug linked to inhibition of libido side effects was Propecia (a hair loss medication that is also used to treat prostate enlargement). Four other drugs used to treat prostate problems (Jalyn, Proscar, Avodart and Lupron) also made the list. Other drugs in the top 25 included commonly used antidepressants, such as Paxil, Effexor, Pristiq, Lexapro and Celexa, and the birth control medicine Beyaz.

 

The top drug linked to compulsive behavior side effects was Mirapex (a Parkinson's medication). Another medicine used for Parkinson's disease (Requip) also made the list.

 

See the appendix below for the top ten drugs in each category.

 

P. Murali Doraiswamy, M.D., a professor and leading neuropsychiatric drug safety researcher at Duke University Medical Center, commented, "This is a very timely and insightful report. While the warning signals in this report don't necessarily prove a causal relationship, they are often the first sign of such a link. Therefore, it is critical for consumers and prescribers to be aware of such potentially adverse effects. Some of these side effects, such as loss of libido or amnesia, can have a devastating impact on a person's quality of life."

 

Dr Doraiswamy cautioned, "The numbers are still preliminary since most adverse reactions are not reported to the FDA and we don't know exactly how many people have actually received these drugs." He added, "The intent of this report is not to deny the benefits of these drugs, but to provide the information needed to help consumers and doctors avoid unnecessary harm. No single doctor can keep up with all the adverse effects of the thousands of drugs, and modern data analytic techniques can supplement traditional clinical trials. This is going to be a high priority for future research."

 

As is the case for any information regarding side effects and adverse events, patients should never discontinue, or alter in any way, the drugs or dosages prescribed by their physician until after consultation with their doctor. Patients should discuss these findings directly with their doctors before making any changes whatsoever to their medicines or prescribed medication regimen.

 

Brian Overstreet, president of AdverseEvents said, "The AERS database is a significant repository of important and potentially life-saving information. And while the data does have limitations, the ability to easily and quickly mine this plethora of data using our proprietary RxFilter™ provides a significant step forward to a better understanding of real-world side-effect risks, the enabling of more accurate safety signaling, and the propelling of further clinical evaluation of potential problems."

 

AdverseEvents used the Proportional Reporting Ratio and the Reporting Odds Ratio calculations to determine the top drugs in each side-effect category. Both are common methods of disproportionality analysis and signal detection used with AERS data. Case reports from 1/1/04 - 9/30/2011 were studied and drugs with limited case reports were excluded from the final list.

 

Top Drugs Linked to Amnesia:

----------------------------------------------------

Primary Suspect Drug PRR ROR

----------------------------------------------------

AMBIEN CR 49.72 84.72

AMBIEN 32.02 42.98

NEURONTIN 7.81 8.29

XYREM 6.86 7.22

TYSABRI 6.10 6.35

PEG-INTRON 5.71 5.94

TOPAMAX 5.54 5.77

LIPITOR 5.43 5.64

PAXIL 5.13 5.31

KLONOPIN 5.03 5.21

----------------------------------------------------

 

Top Drugs Linked To Inhibition of Libido:

----------------------------------------------------

Primary Suspect Drug PRR ROR

----------------------------------------------------

PROPECIA 167.29 200.10

PROSCAR 84.01 91.69

AVODART 44.03 45.96

DEPO-TESTOSTERONE 37.19 38.62

JALYN 26.04 26.72

COMBIPATCH 22.63 23.14

PAXIL 17.53 17.80

BEYAZ 15.23 15.46

ANDROGEL 14.18 14.37

NARDIL 12.02 12.15

----------------------------------------------------

 

Top Drugs Linked to Compulsive Behaviors:

----------------------------------------------------

Primary Suspect Drug PRR ROR

----------------------------------------------------

MIRAPEX 51.79 79.45

REGLAN 42.17 56.61

LANOXIN 25.47 30.67

EX-LAX 14.45 16.01

REQUIP 12.71 13.88

PROPECIA 11.79 12.79

LITHIUM QD 11.61 12.58

REQUIP XL 10.67 11.47

LUVOX 10.30 11.04

PERMAX 9.84 10.51

----------------------------------------------------

 

About Brain Awareness Week (BAW) Brain Awareness Week, celebrated from March 12-18, 2012, is the global campaign to increase public awareness about the progress and benefits of brain research. Each year, Brain Awareness Week unites partner organizations worldwide in celebration of the brain through events and outreach to people of all ages. The campaign combines the efforts of universities, hospitals, government agencies, schools, and professional associations in a week-long celebration of the brain. For more information, visit http://www.dana.org/brainweek/

 

About AdverseEvents, Inc. AdverseEvents, Inc. (AEI) is the first service provider to deliver accurate, real-time information on adverse drug events reported to the FDA. AEI utilizes a unique data sourcing method called RxFilter™, a proprietary 17-step data refinement process that standardizes and normalizes the data from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) into a user-friendly, fully-searchable database of all FDA approved medications. As a leading resource for the pharmaceutical industry, AEI supports companies with competitive intelligence and data to inform drug marketing decisions and business development strategies. With AEI, the healthcare industry is able to quantify the benefit-risk assessments of FDA approved drugs to fully understand the scope of safety issues, based on accurate rates of side effects from such medications.

 

Limitations of this Study RxFilter™ and this study make use of AERS data. The AERS database is only as accurate as the information inputted into it from various sources. The FDA estimates that only approximately 10% of all adverse events that are potentially triggered by postmarketed drugs are recorded into AERS. Reporting rates regarding a given adverse event can be influenced by publicity and marketing campaigns. Accordingly, while the RxFilter™ process used by AdverseEvents, Inc. represents an exceptionally useful tool for searching and analyzing AERS data, the output is constrained by the raw data that can be obtained from AERS.

 

For more information about AdverseEvents, Inc., please visit http://www.adverseevents.com .

 

Dr. Doraiswamy is an advisor to and equity holder in AdverseEvents, Inc. He has also received research grants and advisory fees from several pharmaceutical companies and advocacy groups. In 1993, Dr. Doraiswamy was part of a group that reported the association between atypical antipsychotics and diabetes. In 2003, he was also part of a group that reported on a series of 60 cases of memory loss with statins.

 

This message is sent from AdverseEvents, Inc., an independent company not associated with the manufacturing of the aforementioned drugs. AdverseEvents, Inc. has not been compensated, directly or indirectly, by any third party for the preparation of this report.

[Jemima]

Good grief. Aside from inviting despression, diabetes and muscle deterioration, Lipitor causes memory loss! Maybe we should forget about war and drop a few loads on Iran!

[alexjuice]

Of the amnesiacs I've had history with:

 

AMBIEN

TOPOMAX

KLONOPIN

PAXIL

 

...Has anyone seen my keys?? :-)

 

Also, interesting all the gastrointestinal drugs related to compulsivity.

[Skyler]

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/list-of-top-prescription-drugs-linked-to-brain-related-side-effects-released-by-adverseevents-inc-2012-03-12 Not surprisingly, psychiatric drugs are on this list.

 

press release

 

The top drug linked to memory loss (amnesia) side effects was Ambien CR (an insomnia medication). Others in the top 25 included Neurontin, Lyrica, and Topomax (medicines used for epilepsy, pain and bipolar disorder), Xyrem (narcolepsy medicine), Tysabri and Avonex (multiple sclerosis treatments), Lipitor (a cholesterol medicine), Xanax and Klonopin (anxiolytics), Chantix (smoking cessation) and Detrol (incontinence medicine). Among the statins, Lipitor, Mevacor, Zocor, and Pravachol all had elevated signals for reports of memory loss with over 900 such cases for Lipitor alone since 2004.

 

Hi Alto.. do I ever wish I'd paid attention to this. The Lyrica withdrawal symptom of ringing ears is banging away even at the original dose. Misery. I'm sure it will resolve in a day or two, but I will be coming off Lyrica veryy cautiously.

 

Georgie

[Peachy]

Has anyone is WD had to go on Lupron? I need to take it but terrified that it will cause a reaction...

[Altostrata]

@Peachy see the first post in this topic, and use site search to find other references to Lupron.

[Giulietta]

On 3/17/2012 at 6:32 PM, Altostrata said:

The top drug linked to memory loss (amnesia) side effects was Ambien CR (an insomnia medication). Others in the top 25 included Neurontin, Lyrica, and Topomax (medicines used for epilepsy, pain and bipolar disorder), Xyrem (narcolepsy medicine), Tysabri and Avonex (multiple sclerosis treatments), Lipitor (a cholesterol medicine), Xanax and Klonopin (anxiolytics),

 

Been on clonazepam for 15 years and Neurontin not that long - high dosage of the latter up to 1300. MDs never toldl me about this - and it is a no wonder. And a no wonder that my short term memory has declined.

 

Is there information on whether memory and cognition recover after discontination of these medications?

 

This link is undertandably broken now - thanks for posting the findings.  http://www.marketwatch.com/story/list-of-top-prescription-drugs-linked-to-brain-related-side-effects-released-by-adverseevents-inc-2012-03-12

 

Thanks,

 

Guilietta

[Rhiannon]

On 9/23/2019 at 6:03 AM, Guilietta said:

 

Been on clonazepam for 15 years and Neurontin not that long - high dosage of the latter up to 1300. MDs never toldl me about this - and it is a no wonder. And a no wonder that my short term memory has declined.

 

Is there information on whether memory and cognition recover after discontination of these medications?

 

This link is undertandably broken now - thanks for posting the findings.  http://www.marketwatch.com/story/list-of-top-prescription-drugs-linked-to-brain-related-side-effects-released-by-adverseevents-inc-2012-03-12

 

Thanks,

 

Guilietta

 

I had so much trouble with my memory when I was taking Neurontin that I almost lost my job. That was in 2009 and I CT'd the Neurontin and had such a terrible reaction that I ended up on three other drugs, and that's when I tried Paxil and had an immediate suicidal reaction and then finally had my big AHA moment about how these drugs were actually causing all the problems they were supposed to be solving. 

 

I was taking Ambien at the same time. Sheesh, no wonder. Anyway, when I was tapering the Neurontin and after I came off it my memory improved by leaps and bounds. I was the only person my age I knew who could say my memory was getting better. But that leveled off and I'm still on diazepam and lamotrigine and half a tablet of Ambien, and none of those are doing my memory any good.

 

Anyway as far as the Neurontin, I can only say from my own experience that my memory did improve when I came off it, but it needs a taper just like anything else.

[Giulietta]

1 hour ago, Rhiannon said:

I had so much trouble with my memory when I was taking Neurontin that I almost lost my job.

 

During the 3+ month adjustment to get onto this drug - I was so incapacitated at work - I mention this in another post maybe - that I lost my job. 

 

1 hour ago, Rhiannon said:

Anyway as far as the Neurontin, I can only say from my own experience that my memory did improve when I came off it,

 

I am glad to know your memory did improve - and I hope mine will when I lower dosage or am able to change to a better drug as an adjunct therapy.   It will be a whle before stabilizing from this debacle so - until that happens I'm not able to think about making any changes as much as I'd like to.

 

How have you managed to taper multiple drugs at the same time (if that is the case)? From your signature it looks like that has  been the case.