Paranoia in the Elderly Woman May Be Linked to Statin Use

When suffering from a cardiovascular complication, such as high cholesterol, it is not uncommon to need prescription medications to aid in lowering cholesterol. While diet and exercise do prove effective, most individuals need the additional supplement of cholesterol lowering drugs such as statins.

Statins are most commonly used in the older population of adults. Therefore, if you are in middle adulthood or late adulthood, you can expect your physician will recommend a statin medication for your cholesterol. It is at this stage of your life that you need the additional supplement as the time is of the essence in preventing a cardiac event from occurring.

When prescribed medications for the treatment of high cholesterol, if your physician prescribes drugs known as statins, it is important to be prepared for the potential side effects. In elder women, especially, there is a risk for development complications involving cognitive processing and abnormal psychological complications. In some women, the development of paranoia symptoms are often most shocking and, in most cases, it not immediately related to a side effect of the cholesterol-lowering drug.

While the central nervous system side effects associated with statins may be well documented in your information document at the pharmacy. Many patients are unaware of the implications seen in elderly women. What we traditional see as a side effect of statins involves the development of memory loss and some inability to focus, what is not commonly expressed is he risk for developing dementia and paranoia.

Whether you are a woman late in age, or you are caring for your mother or grandmother, it is important to become familiar with all of the side effects associated with statins. If you notice the development of paranoia-like symptoms, or irregular patterns in dementia, ask the prescribing physician about the risks as related to statin therapy. While statin therapy may be necessary, the physician will need to document the side effects and symptoms to be certain the mental health and central nervous system condition does not deteriorate to such a point that quality life is an issue.

Cardiovascular treatment is varied and depends on the type of complication each patient experiences. For many elderly patients, the use of statins is quite common and can be expected to bring about central nervous system side effects. In women, however, the use of statins may lead to additional mental health complications including the development of paranoia and dementia which should be well monitored by the prescribing physician.