Dementia And Antipsychotic Medications In Nursing Homes
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A recent story by Matt Sedensky, addresses the use of antipsychotic medications in treating dementia in nursing home residents. The story begins with the story of Hazel Eng, a resident of the Ecumen home in North Branch, Minn. "Day after day, Hazel Eng sat on her couch, a blank stare on her face. The powerful antipsychotics she was taking often cloaked her in sedation. And when they didn't, the 89-year-old lashed out at her nursing home's aides with such anger and frequency her daughter wondered if her mother would be better off dead." When Ms. Eng was transferred to another section of the facility and was removed from her antipsychotic medications, there was a dramatic change. "She now beams as she ambles the hallways, reads the newspaper, tells stories and constantly laughs."
According to Mr. Sedensky: "Antipsychotics are meant primarily to help control hallucinations, delusions and other abnormal behavior in people suffering from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but they're also given to hundreds of thousands of elderly nursing home patients in the U.S. to pacify aggressive and paranoid behavior related to dementia."
The use of antipsychotic medications to treat dementia is an "off-label" use. According to a 2007 government audit, approximately 83% of Medicare claims for antipsychotic drugs were for purposes including the treatment of dementia.
So what, you might ask. Isn't it better to medicate a resident suffering from dementia so they do not harm themselves or others? The answer is an absolute and resounding: NO! Use of antipsychotic medicine to "treat" the symptoms of dementia creates its own set of issues. "The drugs can limit seniors' ability to effectively communicate, socialize or participate in everyday life."
Thankfully, according to the article, the off-label use of antipsychotic medications to treat dementia in the nursing home setting has decreased over the past decade.
If you have a loved one who suffers from dementia and is receiving antipsychotic medicine, you should speak with your physician. Make sure the medications are necessary and are being used correctly. If your loved one seems "out-of-it" during visits, it may very well be the result of the medications he or she is receiving. It is up to you to make sure each and every medication prescribed to a loved one is absolutely necessary.
