Common medications prescribed after brain injury include the following:
- Antidepressants
- Antipsychotics
- Anticonvulsants
- Benzodiazepines
- Narcotic analgesics
These medications may have an adverse impact on the person’s ability to maintain good nutrition and hydration due to their side effects which may include:
- Changes to appetite (reduced or increased appetite).
- Changes to the sense of taste and smell
- Feelings of nausea.
- Dry mouth.
- Reduced motivation.
- Drowsiness, fatigue and sleep disturbance.
- Increased levels of confusion.
- Neurological changes impairing the ability to chew and swallow food safely (dysphagia) thus affecting nutritional intake.