Alzheimer's drugs 'need rethink'
Updated on 12 November 2009
The government is to appoint a new national clinical director for dementia after a review found up to 150,000 people are being given powerful anti psychotic drugs that are of no benefit to them
The government is to appoint a new national clinical director for dementia after it was found that up to 150,000 people are being given powerful anti-psychotic drugs that are of no benefit to them.
Sometimes referred to as a "chemical cosh", the drugs can control aggression and hallucinations. But a government-funded review estimates they may be linked to 1,800 extra deaths a year among elderly people.
The report comes in response to mounting concern from pressure groups about the misuse of antipsychotics among people suffering from Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.
Powerful anti-psychotic drugs can double the risk of death, triple the risk of stroke and accelerate decline in some of Britain's most vulnerable patients.
Recent research has found that more than 100,000 dementia sufferers, mainly in care homes, are being given anti-psychotic drugs that are not appropriate or effective.
While dementia charities welcomed the report they are frustrated it is more than eight months later than promised in the government’s National Dementia Strategy this February.
Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer's society, said: "100,000 people with dementia in care homes are being inappropriately prescribed a damaging chemical cosh of anti-psychotic drugs and new research suggests that there is a significant problem in hospitals too."
Anti-psychotics are sometimes given to people with dementia if, as their disease progresses, they become delusional or disruptive to other patients. However use of the drugs requires constant and careful monitoring by a GP.
