Study says Alzheimer’s Patients dying prematurely due to sedatives.
April 5, 2007 by Liz Lewis
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
A five year study conducted by King’s College London (funded by the Alzheimer’s Research Trust) into the use of neuroleptic sedatives for Alzheimer’s patients with behavioral problems has found that these drugs ‘…were linked with a significant increase in long-term mortality – with patients dying on average six months earlier.’
The study involved 165 Alzheimer’s patients in nursing homes who had been given sedative drugs such as Haloperidol (Serenace), Chlorpromazine (Largactil), Thioridazine (Melleril), Trifluoperazine (Stelazine), and Risperidone (Risperdal) for at least three months.
In the Alzheimer’s Research Trust Press Release (April 2, 2007) Professor Clive Ballard, Professor of Age Related Disorders at King’s College London, said ‘It is very clear that even over a six month period of treatment, there is no benefit of neuroleptics in treating the behavior of people with Alzheimer’s disease when the symptoms are mild – specifically when a measure of behavioral disturbance known as the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Score is equal to or less than 14. For people with more sever behavioral symptoms, balancing the potential benefits against increased mortality and other adverse effects is more difficult, but this study provides an important evidence base to inform this decision-making process.’
News Reports:
Alzheimer’s Patients Are Dying Early Because of Controversial Drugs
Why sedatives ‘are making Alzheimer’s patients die early’.
Alzheimer’s sufferers dying in drug ’scandal’
This is a good point, Liz. I’m not saying I agree or disagree with the findings. But based on my experience with Mother….At the first nursing home where she stayed for day care, then full time, Mother was very active and sometimes rebellious. Her doctor perscribed a mild sedative to calm her. However, when that nursing home closed, due to lack of funds, and I moved her to another, they said they tried not to use sedatives for their patients and weaned Mother off the medication. Also,Mother came under the care of another doctor at that nursing home. I’m not saying the first doctor was wrong, just that each had a different method of treating the rebellion that often accompanies Alzheimer’s. It’s now interesting to see the results of the study you mention, Liz.