Too many antipsychotics
August 24, 2012
ANTIPSYCHOTIC medications are
being overprescribed for the
management of behavioural and
psychological symptoms
experienced by people with
dementia, according to Alzheimer’s
Australia.
The comments follow a report on
ABC’s Lateline last week which
highlighted a number of examples
of inappropriate use of
antipsychotic medications with
people living with dementia,
including the coronial inquest into
the death of dementia patient John
Arthur Burns who died from a
cerebral infarction while receiving
high doses of the antipsychotic
drug haloperidol.
According to Alzheimer’s
Australia, whilst antipsychotic
medications play an important role
in the treatment of some people
with dementia, they are associated
with very serious risks and side
effects, and should generally only
be used for a limited time, and only
after other approaches have been
tried.
Moreover the organisation said
that in as many as 80% of the
50-100,000 Australians with
dementia in Australia receiving
antipsychotic medications, the
drugs’ potential risks are likely to
outweigh their potential benefits.
“We know that antipsychotics can
have very serious side effects,
including risks of death and stroke,”
Alzheimer’s Australia said.
“There are numerous evidencebased
approaches to responding to
behavioural and psychological
symptoms of dementia that do not
require antipsychotic medications
(assessing and treating possible
causes of agitation such as pain,
loneliness or fear for example), and
many instances of nursing homes
that have successfully reduced use of
antipsychotic medications among
people with dementia to a minimum.
“Alzheimer’s Australia holds that
the current overuse of
antipsychotic medications among
people with dementia is a human
rights issue, and one that can and
should be addressed by regulatory
bodies, clinicians and service
providers,” the organisation added.
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