Chemical restraints killing dementia patients

Owen Bowcott
London Guardian
Thursday, Nov 12th, 2009


Excessive use of the medication causes an estimated 1,800 deaths and almost as many strokes among older people every year, the study revealed.

The care services minister, Phil Hope, accepted all the recommendations in the review and promised a fundamental change in the treatment of those suffering from dementia.

The numbers being given “chemical restraints” will be reduced, extra training will be given to nursing home staff, more psychological therapies are to be made available and a national clinical director for dementia will be appointed.

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Dementia drug use ?killing many?

Nick Triggle
BBC
November 12, 2009

Needless use of anti-psychotic drugs is widespread in dementia care and contributes to the death of many patients, an official review suggests.

About 180,000 patients a year are given the drugs in care homes, hospitals and their own homes to manage aggression.

But the expert review – commissioned by ministers – said the treatment was unnecessary in nearly 150,000 cases and was linked to 1,800 deaths.

The government in England has agreed to take steps to reduce use of the drugs.

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