I noticed in the Daily Telegraph newspaper today an article by Laura Donnelly, Health Editor.
This states that antipsychotic drugs given to patients with dementia are far more dangerous than previously thought.
It states that doctors are told to only prescribe such drugs, which may raise the risk of death, when other medications have failed. Such drugs are often called the "chemical cosh".
A study of 174,000 people published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) has found the medicine causes more side effects than thought. Taking the drugs for 3 months or more increased the risk of heat attack or failure by more than 25%, doubled the risk of pneumonia and causes rises in the number of cases of kidney problems and blood clots.
The use of these drugs increased in the covid19 pandemic in care homes.
The latest study in England related to older adults with dementia between 1998 and 2018 2022. Some 35,339 people were prescribed antipsychotic drugs during the study (63% women) and their medical records compared to dementia patients who were not prescribed these drugs.
Academics from Manchester, Nottingham, Edinburgh and Dundee universities found that dementia patients who were current users of antipsychotic drugs had a twofold increase in the risk of developing pneumonia and a 61% increased risk of stroke and a 43% risk of bone fracture, compared with those not taking these drugs. They also found a 27%/28% increased risk of heart failure / heart attack.
Patients with dementia prescribed antipsychotic drugs also had a 72%rise in risk of kidney injury and a 62% increase in risk of a particular form or blood clot
Interesting, n'est-ce pas?
This states that antipsychotic drugs given to patients with dementia are far more dangerous than previously thought.
It states that doctors are told to only prescribe such drugs, which may raise the risk of death, when other medications have failed. Such drugs are often called the "chemical cosh".
A study of 174,000 people published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) has found the medicine causes more side effects than thought. Taking the drugs for 3 months or more increased the risk of heat attack or failure by more than 25%, doubled the risk of pneumonia and causes rises in the number of cases of kidney problems and blood clots.
The use of these drugs increased in the covid19 pandemic in care homes.
The latest study in England related to older adults with dementia between 1998 and 2018 2022. Some 35,339 people were prescribed antipsychotic drugs during the study (63% women) and their medical records compared to dementia patients who were not prescribed these drugs.
Academics from Manchester, Nottingham, Edinburgh and Dundee universities found that dementia patients who were current users of antipsychotic drugs had a twofold increase in the risk of developing pneumonia and a 61% increased risk of stroke and a 43% risk of bone fracture, compared with those not taking these drugs. They also found a 27%/28% increased risk of heart failure / heart attack.
Patients with dementia prescribed antipsychotic drugs also had a 72%rise in risk of kidney injury and a 62% increase in risk of a particular form or blood clot
Interesting, n'est-ce pas?