Patrick Skerrett, STAT News, June 8, 2024
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I understand the desire to help reduce very difficult behavior among dementia patients, but the scientific evidence clearly indicates that antipsychotic drugs significantly increase the chances of an adverse event called “sudden death” among older patients. This is true for all atypical antipsychotics, including the one the FDA recently approved for dementia patients. Even when the results are not fatal, many family members report that their loved ones become almost completely uncommunicative and unresponsive because of the use of these medications in nursing homes and similar facilities. That is the reason why these medications should very rarely be used for older patients, especially those who are not able to make the decision for themselves.
— Diana Zuckerman, National Center for Health Research
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