Anticholinergic Drug Burden in Noncancer Versus Cancer Patients Near the End of Life.

ABSTRACT:

Context

Anticholinergic drugs can cause several side effects, impairing cognition and quality of life (QOL). Cancer patients are often exposed to increasing cumulative anticholinergic load (ACL) as they approach death, but this burden has not been examined in patients with nonmalignant diseases.

Objectives

To determine ACL and its impact in noncancer versus cancer palliative care patients.

Methods

We performed a secondary analysis of 244 subjects enrolled in a randomized controlled trial. ACL was quantified with the Anticholinergic Drug Scale. We used multivariable regression to calculate the effect of ACL on key outcomes, including drowsiness, fatigue, and QOL. Patients were stratified by diagnosis, and drugs were grouped as symptom management (SM) or disease managem

SUBMITTER: Hochman MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5472041 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature