More than one in six elderly patients across Scotland with dementia
are being prescribed anti-psychotic drugs, a study claimed today.
Scientists at Dundee University said the drugs were "known to be of limited benefit" and could cause "significant harm".
The research, published online in the journal Age and Ageing, was
carried out by Professor Bruce Guthrie, Professor of Primary Care
Medicine at Dundee, with a team including Dr Stella Clark from NHS Fife.
It was conducted in response to long-term concerns about the use of
anti-psychotic and psychotropic drugs to manage behavioural and
psychological disturbances associated with dementia.
The study looked at data from 315 GP practices across the country,
containing records of over 270,000 elderly patients - about one-third of
the elderly population.
A total of 10,000 of the elderly patients had been diagnosed as
suffering from dementia and 1,785 of them had been prescribed
anti-psychotic medication.
Patients with dementia were shown to be twice as likely to be
prescribed anti-depressants or other sedatives, and were more than 17
times more likely to be prescribed anti-psychotics.
The study also suggested people with dementia are commonly being
prescribed other sedative drugs, including anti-depressants and drugs
like diazepam (valium).
Prof Guthrie said: "There have been significant concerns expressed
for some time now regarding the use of these drugs to manage behavioural
disturbance in people with dementia but there has been very little data
gathered on just how common this kind of prescribing is.
"What our study shows is that anti-psychotic drugs are very commonly prescribed to people with dementia.
"These are drugs which are known to have relatively little benefit
except in a small number of patients, but which can cause significant
harm.
"Although doctors are often trying to find the best way to manage
symptoms which can be very disturbing to both patients and families, the
use of anti-psychotics in this situation has only limited benefits and
significant risks".
He called for GPs not to prescribe anti-psychotics to people with
dementia as a repeat prescription and regularly review the need for
continuing prescription.
Prof Guthrie also said more investment was needed to find alternative
ways of managing the condition and support families and carers, so that
using the drugs becomes "a last resort".
Dr Clark added that the NHS in both Tayside and Fife has already
started work with GPs and psychiatrists locally to review patients with
dementia who may be receiving anti-psychotic drugs.
A report carried out for the Department of Health in England in
November last year recommended a "significant reduction" in the use of
anti-psychotic drugs for the condition.
Carried out by Professor Sube Banerjee of the Institute of
Psychiatry, King's College London, it found the drugs could bring on
strokes and increase mortality rates, and could be behind an additional
1,800 deaths per year.
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