Should a patient with dementia be given antipsychotic drugs?

Answer:

Although there is some evidence that antipsychotic drugs can help treat a select number of seniors suffering from dementia, many medical experts and advocates for the elderly believe that antipsychotic drugs are woefully overprescribed to treat age-related neurological issues and that many seniors would benefit from alternative treatments.
Some reports state that thousands of seniors die because of their antipsychotic drug prescriptions each year and that hundreds of thousands are wrongly placed on these drugs in nursing homes around the country. Although antipsychotic drugs can curb behavioral problems in patients, such as aggression, outbursts, and sleep disturbances, they also come at a high price. According to a black box warning recently placed on these drugs, they can cause serious complications – including stroke and death – in elderly patients with dementia.
Doctors are also concerned that nursing homes are using antipsychotic drugs as a way to overmedicate patients and keep them under control by keeping them in a subdued state.
Do you believe that your elder loved one has been overmedicated with antipsychotic drugs – and that this form of nursing home neglect caused your loved one harm? If so, speak with a caretaker abuse attorney today. Overmedication is unacceptable.