[DISAJP NEWS] ☆ Vol.33 Dec. 4th, 2020 Risk of antidementia drugs or sleeping pills
This is DISA NEWS, the newsletter from the Dementia Improved Support Association of Japan.
DISA NEWS is sent to those who subscribes.
Our association aims to achieve the dementia-free world.We deliver this newsletter on the 4th of each month to bring you valuable information.
We offer sincere prayer for the repose of the souls of those who lost their lives with COVID-19 spreading across the world, and our deepest sympathy to those infected.
We wish them quick recovery and hope that everyone in difficulties get life back to normal soon.
We hope to contribute to avoiding the elderly people’s risk for death from the virus.
At the same time, the organization continues helping people get peaceful days back by supporting cognitive function’s recovery.
We stay active on our mission.
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Today’s Contents
〇 Risk of antidementia drugs or sleeping pills
〇 Fat contained in KOUKA
〇 World Alzheimer Report 2020
〇 Notes on overseas order of KOUKA
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〇 Risk of antidementia drugs or sleeping pills
According to the professionals in medical front, hundreds of thousands people are estimated to be suffering cognitive impairment caused by prescribed drugs.
There are many people who see their loved ones become almost different people after receiving treatment in the hospital, showing following symptoms.
– Losing vitality, becoming unsure of one’s footing and finally confined to bed
– Becoming restless, occasionally enraged to use abusive language or violence
– Deterioration in memory, intellect and other cognitive functions
This state is called “medication-induced geriatric syndrome”.
For an elderly person enjoying the fruits of life at the very last stage of one’s journey, losing a sense of who you are means losing the dignity.
Maybe it should be called “mismedication-induced personality destruction syndrome”, for it is caused by inappropriate prescription of drugs requiring special care.
A nursing care professional says many facilities have the cases caused by benzodiazepine hypnotics.
In Japanese medical practice, physical restraint to residents in aged care facilities has been a controversial issue.
Now it became less seen, but instead patients are sedated by drugs, which is virtually a new form of restraint.
Such measures are implemented in most hospitals.
On the internet, a new word “drug lock” , which means restraint by medicines, is often used to describe this state.
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There is a word “polypharmacy”.
It is the term referring to the concurrent use of many medications carrying a higher risk of adverse effects.
Especially, it is common in elderly patients, as most of them see multiple doctors and have multiple medications.
A report says concurrent use of six or more different drugs increases the risk of adverse event.
A woman in her 70s went to hospital wondering if she had dementia, as she couldn’t stop shoplifting in spite of knowing it is a very bad thing.
The doctor suspected mild dementia, but brain atrophy was not found.
This woman had been using five different drugs including a psychotropic and two types of benzodiazepine sleep medications.
The doctor decided to stop all these medications and see what would happen.
He did know sudden withdrawal of a benzodiazepine is dangerous, but he had no choice as she was in trial and another offence would take her behind bars.
After a short period, the woman became bright and began to talk more than ever.
And surprisingly, her kleptomania has gone completely.
She got full marks at a cognitive functioning test and became free from the suspicion of dementia.
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The doctor says 10 to 20% of those coming to see him suspecting dementia is not really carrying the disease, but having dysfunctions caused by medications.
He deduces benzodiazepine hypnotics and anxiolytics are two major factors responsible for the syndrome.
In addition to them, certain types of psychotropic drugs that reportedly carry similar risks also caused some of his cases.
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According to a report by a team in the University of Washington School of Medicine published in 1987, among 308 people who were 65 or older and suffering cognitive impairment, adverse effects were found in 35 people, representing approximately 11% of the whole.
The Clinical Practice Guideline for Dementia developed by Japanese Society of Neurology in 2017 cites a passage from an Irish study published in 1999, saying 2 to 12% of all the patients showing cognitive dysfunctions are estimated to be effected by medications.
In addition, experienced nurses in their 50 s and care workers in their 40 s say the following.
It has been reported that more than 20 to 30% of long-term hospitalized patients suffer from cognitive decline and excessive sedation caused by drugs.
Although the specific figure depends, they all estimate 10 to 30%.
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A guideline formulated by the Japan Geriatrics Society (JGS) in 2015 concludes use of benzodiazepines should be kept as low as possible, based on international criteria and studies.
Stressing the quality of these studies’ evidence by ranking them as “the highest”, the guideline suggests it is “highly recommended” to follow the conclusion.
The guideline calls for the maximum attention using clear, specific terms such as “oversedation” or “cognitive decline”, but these words can never be seen in warning of the drugs.
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Seemingly, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) won’t accept those evidence.
They might not have sufficient awareness to remark the adverse effect’s risk for causing cognitive impairment or hastening one’s end.
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Reminyl’s side effect leading to murder
The Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Agency, an organization administrated by MHLW, publishes the case list for adverse effect based on reports from doctors, pharmaceutical companies and other actors throughout the country.
On the list, in the category of “side effect/adverse event”, a shocking word “murder” is found.
It refers to a tragedy occurred in 2015, where a male in his 70s having Alzheimer’s beat and killed his wife in her 70s after getting furious at her.
The husband was taking multiple medications including antidementia drug, antihypertensive, diabetes drug and hyperuricemia drug.
The report identifies “galantamine hydrobromide/Reminyl” as the responsible drug for the horrible side effect.
Reminyl is one of the four original antidementia drugs approved in Japan.
On its package insert, there is a description of adverse effects, such as agitation, anger or aggression.
It was those effects that made him driven to violence.
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In 2018, French government decided to exclude antidementia drugs from the coverage of the national health insurance system.
Whoever wants to use one needs to pay for it by oneself.
A news release from the French authority says the drugs were not confirmed to have therapeutic value in the evaluation of efficacy and adverse effects.
This decision drew huge attention from the world.
However, there is no country following the way France took so far.
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Safety information is insufficient also in gastrointestinal drugs.
Gaster, a well known Japanese gastrointestinal medicine, potentially causes cognitive decline, apathy, delirium, disturbed consciousness or depression, when dosed to an elderly person.
Gaster is a H2 receptor antagonist that inhibits gastric acid secretion, which came onto the market in 1983 and sold 90 billion at its peak.
It is still sold at drug stores as a nonprescription drug.
JGS points out H2 receptor antagonists carry the risk of cognitive decline.
A doctor says he actually had several patients who suffered the symptom caused by Gaster.
One day, when the doctor saw a patient suspecting dementia, he found Famotidine, a generic drug of Gaster, on the prescription list.
He made a contact with the doctor who had prescribed it and asked to change the drug.
Three months later, the patients MMSE score recovered.
The patient’s forgetfulness was likely to be caused by the drug, the doctor says.
Who can even imagine a gastrointestinal drug is responsible, when an elderly person with no problem on mind or nerves has acute cognitive decline?
Again the 2015 guideline by JGS cautions that use of H2 receptor antagonists should be kept as low as possible, due to its risk for cognitive decline.
As for dose to aged people, Gaster’s package insert only reads “use carefully with smaller dosage amount or longer interval”.
Although adverse effects such as reversible confusion, depression or disturbed consciousness are specified,
but with no frequency suggested, the insert has no description on cognitive decline referred in the JGS’s guideline.
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Antidementia drugs can never reach the underlying cause of the disease, but can only control cognitive symptoms like memory loss.
It is said that the fundamental remedy doesn’t exist.
KOUKA is patented as a composition of matter to ameliorate cognitive dysfunctions, containing the essence of a Chinese traditional crude drug of reishi.
We know that antidementia drugs are able to delay the progression of the disease or reduce the burden on patient’s family or caregivers.
However, any chemical drug can’t be free from the risk for adverse effects, which sometimes disturbs user’s mental balance.
That is why we recommend you to try KOUKA, containing rich natural reishi extract.
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While overseas delivery is limited due to COVID-19, sea mail is available for those who can accept longer delivery period.
99% of the users who took it for at least three months had positive effects.
Feel free to send us an email for more information.
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〇 Fat contained in KOUKA
The fat contained in KOUKA is EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).
KOUKA contains rich polyunsaturated fatty acid known as omega-3.
EPA controls blood cholesterol, as well as promoting blood stream.
DHA improves brain functions and memory.
Both of them are good for preventing lifestyle diseases deeply related to blood, such as arterial sclerosis, cerebral or cardiac infarction.
EPA and DHA contained in KOUKA are derived from herrings.
Compared to other fish, herrings contain richer amount of monounsaturated fatty acids, such as oleic acid or eicosenoic acid.
These fatty acids prevent arterial sclerosis or hypertension by controlling the level of bad cholesterol, as well as lowering risk for cardiac disorders.
Herrings also contain rich vitamin B6.
Vitamin B6 is deeply involved in metabolism of proteins and amino acids, which synthesizes other types of amino acids.
It is also related to lipid metabolism, which generates great amount of energy.
In addition, herrings are rich source of vitamin B12, which are little contained in vegetables or fruits.
Vitamin B12 significantly contributes to synthesis and regulation of DNA, and helps healthy cell proliferation.
The vitamin is also involved in fatty acid synthesis and energy generation, as well as playing an active role in synthesis of red blood cell and hemoglobin along with folic acid.
Besides, herrings contains great amount of calcium and iron, which is respectively a crucial element for preventing osteoporosis and anemia.
KOUKA also contains arachidonic acid.
It is one of the essential fatty acid, known as vitamin F along with gamma-linolenic acid.
Arachidonic acid is a crucial element for development of infant’s brain and body, regulating immune system and improving learning ability and memory.
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Arachidonic Acid’s Health Effects
– Regulating immune system
– Improving learning ability and memory
– Preventing hypertension
– Lowering cholesterol level
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KOUKA’s main ingredient reishi is charred before being made into the supplement. This traditional Japanese method of process makes it good for building healthy gut environment.
All I can say is, unlike KOUKA having herring’s high quality fat, most fish oil contains unsaturated fatty acid already oxidized, so you should be careful not to dose it too much for preventing oxidation of the body.
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〇 World Alzheimer Report 2020
The International Association for Alzheimer’s Disease (Alzheimer’s Disease International, hereinafter ADI) published ‘World Alzheimer’s Report 2020: Design, Dignity, Dementia – Design and Building Environment Related to Dementia’ on September 21, 2020.
’World Alzheimer’s Report’ has been published annually by ADI since 2009 to deepen understanding of dementia.
This year’s theme is “Design and Building Environment” and this is the first report in the world that comprehensively addresses dementia design.
➡ https://www.alzint.org/resource/world-alzheimer-report-2020/
➡ https://www.alzint.org/u/WorldAlzheimerReport2020Vol1.pdf
➡ https://www.alzint.org/u/WorldAlzheimerReport2020Vol2.pdf
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〇 Notes on overseas order of KOUKA
Our product KOUKA, a supplement patented as composition of matter to ameliorate cognitive dysfunctions, has been enormously well-received by many users around the world.
However, now it is difficult to dispatch the items to overseas customers due to COVID-19.
The items are usually delivered via EMS, which is currently unavailable in many countries and regions as they suspended to accept international mails.
Also, transportation routes are almost lost because of a significant number of cancellation or reduction of flights from Japan.
Please be advised that every overseas customer needs to check your own country’s situation to make sure if you can receive EMS, before ordering.
For your information, sea mail is available in many countries, although it takes longer (approximately 2-3 months).
If you want another delivery method, find possible option and check the fee required, and let us know the details as below via email.
1. Name
2. Address
3. Phone number
4. Email address
5. Recipient’s age, current status and other details that should be informed
6. Number of order (a package weighs about 600g)
7. Name of carrier
8. Charge for delivery
We charge the total amount including the product’s price (39,000JPY) and the delivery charge (declared in above 8) via PayPal.
The item will be dispatched upon confirmation of the payment.
Customers will be notified via email if we find something wrong on operation or delivery charge of designated carriers.
We will notify customers if anything wrong happens on operation or delivery charge of designated carriers.
Customers also need to check on the custom duty for your country before ordering.
Don’t forget to make sure if you can receive the item in your area, as some countries prohibit the import of supplements.
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Thank you very much for your understanding and support to our activities.
We greatly appreciate medical professionals in the world for their dedicated work against the treats of COVID19.
Our association aims to bring more smiles in families, by supporting cognitive function’s recovery.
For the recovery, normalizing microcirculation is highly efficacious.
We found dosing proper amount of reishi, a gift of nature, is essential for better microcirculation.
KOUKA is a processed food product of Ganoderma Lucidum (reishi), patented in Japan as a composition of matter to ameliorate cognitive dysfunctions.
Almost 100% of KOUKA users who took it for 3 months experienced alleviation of cognitive dysfunctions and life style diseases.
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We strongly believe cognitive functions can be recovered and there is no need to give up even after the onset of dementia.
With this conviction, our association has conducted physiological studies for more understanding of the nature of human body, as well as offering a wide range of awareness campaigns.
We are always open to share what we found with many people as possible.
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We deliver further information at the official website.
https://disajp.org/
DISAJP distributes valuable information on the 4th of each month to the world.
We welcome your feedback.
You can purchase the high quality reishi supplement KOUKA efficacious for improving cognitive functions at DIS SHOP.
