Wrongly prescribed drugs 'killing 1,800'
Wrongly prescribed drugs 'killing 1,800'
Thursday, 12, Nov 2009 03:43
By Richard James.
Hundreds of thousands of elderly dementia patients are being wrongly prescribed anti-psychotic drugs with around 1,800 dying as a result every year.
A government-ordered review has found only around 36,000 of the 180,000 people currently being given the drugs derive any benefit from them.
The review was launched following complaints from patients' groups and MPs that the drugs are being misused to suppress anxiety and distress suffered by people with dementia.
The treatment was originally aimed at people with schizophrenia but has increasingly been used to help dementia sufferers deal with aggression.
Sube Banerjee, from the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London, who led the review, admitted some patients may genuinely need the drugs but they should only be used for a maximum of three months and when people were at risk.
As a result, the government has now taken a series of steps to reduce the use of the drugs, including improving other types of therapy, specialist dementia training for staff and the appointment of a new national director for dementia.
Mr Banerjee said if the recommendations were followed the use of anti-psychotic drugs could be cut by two-thirds within three years.
Neil Hunt, chief executive from the Alzheimer's Society, said he welcomed the findings the review today.
"Alzheimer's Society's view is that these drugs should only ever be used as a last resort," he said.
"The scandalous over-prescription of anti-psychotic drugs leads to an estimated 1,800 deaths a year - it must end.
"Almost 150,000 people are being inappropriately prescribed these drugs as a chemical restraint. Today must mark a change in dementia care."