Anticholinergic side effects include confusion, blurred vision, dizziness, falls and a decline in brain function. Anticholinergic effects may also increase risks of falls and may be associated with an increase in mortality. They have also been linked to a higher risk of dementia when used long term. Now, researchers have developed a tool to calculate harmful effects of medicines using artificial intelligence. The team created a new online tool, International Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden Tool (IACT), is uses natural language processing which is an artificial intelligence methdolody and chemical structure analysis to identify medications that have anticholinergic effect.

Artificial intelligence might help doctors in determining whether individuals are likely to have adverse effects from widely used antidepressants, antihistamines, and bladder medications. An evaluation of a new tool to determine which medications are more likely to have adverse anticholinergic effects on the body and brain was conducted under the direction of the University of Exeter and the Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust. Their findings were recently published in the journal Age and Ageing. Many prescription and over-the-counter medications that affect the brain by inhibiting the neurotransmitter acetylcholine may result in adverse anticholinergic effects. Numerous drugs, including certain bladder medications, antidepressants, stomach medicines, and Parkinson's disease have some degree of anticholinergic impact.

Research led by the University of Exeter and Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust, published in Age and Ageing, assessed a new tool designed to calculate which medicines are more likely to experience adverse anticholinergic effects on the body and brain. These complications can occur from many -prescription and over-the-counter drugs which affects the brain by blocking a key neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. Many medicines, including some bladder medications, anti-depressants, medications for stomach and Parkinson's disease have some degree of anticholinergic effect. They are commonly taken by older people. Anticholinergic side effects include confusion, blurred vision, dizziness, falls and a decline in brain function.

A new tool calculates which medicines are more likely to cause adverse anticholinergic effects, according to work by a team led by the University of Exeter. "Use of medicines with anticholinergic effects can have significant harmful effects, for example falls and confusion, which are avoidable, we urgently need to reduce the harmful side effects as this can leads to hospitalization and death," said Chris Fox, at the University of Exeter, and one of the study authors. "This new tool provides a promising avenue towards a more tailored personalized medicine approach, of ensuring the right person gets a safe and effective treatment whilst avoiding unwanted anticholinergic effects." Such complications can occur from many prescription and over-the-counter drugs that affect the brain by blocking the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. These medicines include some for bladder disorders, depression, stomach ailments, and Parkinson's disease.