Pharmacy Medical News about dementia; neuropsychiatric symptoms; antipsychotics

Become a Member Today!
Register

Most Viewed Abstracts

1. Report Shows Shift in Starting Salaries for Physicians

2. 2008 Exclusive Survey—Earnings: Good news for primary care income

3. Medicare pay-for-reporting effort draws fire from frustrated doctors

4. Debunking Myths in the US Healthcare System

5. Statins and cancer risk

Your Article Summary

See Latest Articles

(Click the title below to leave the MDLinx Network and go to the Journal's Website)

Use of antipsychotics in neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia
Geriatrics, 05/18/09

Kalapatapu RK et al. - Antipsychotic medications have a modest effect on the neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia, but product labels warn of the excess risk of death and morbidity associated with their use in older patients. As such, these agents should not be the first choice for the treatment of behavioral and psychotic symptoms of dementia. Nevertheless, a trial of these agents may be indicated in instances in which the severity of symptoms is extreme, or symptoms do not respond to nonpharmacologic methods or other medications...There is no evidence to suggest differences in effectiveness between atypical and conventional antipsychotics; therefore, the choice of an antipsychotic for neuropsychiatric symptoms often relies on side effect profile and individual patient circumstances. Extrapyramidal symptoms and QTc prolongation are concerns with conventional antipsychotic agents. The incidence of cerebrovascular events with either atypical or conventional antipsychotics appears increased compared with placebo. A discussion of the risk-benefit ratio of antipsychotics with the patient's family and/or caregivers should precede the decision to use these agents.

<< Previous
Rationale and design of an independent randomised controlled...

Next >>
CB receptor-independent actions of SR141716 on G-protein...