Medication management requires complex cognitive functioning, and therefore, difficulty taking medications might be an early sign of cognitive impairment and could be a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Accordingly, people with difficulty taking medications may benefit from more detailed cognitive screening, potentially aiding in the diagnosis of ADRD, which is underdiagnosed. We are unaware of evidence on medication management difficulties that precede a real-world ADRD diagnosis in the USA.
Barthold D, Marcum ZA, Chen S, White L, Aliabouni N, Basu A, Coe NB, Gray SL: Difficulty with Taking Medications Is Associated with Future Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias. Journal of General Internal Medicine 36(4): 863-868, Apr 2021.