The US FDA announced on June 17, 2008 that a "black box" warning should be added on the labels of conventional antipsychotics such as haldol and thorazine, which are sometimes used to pacify dementia patients who become aggressive or disturbed. I am immensely happy knowing the US FDA's new warning. Use of conventional antipsychotics for elderly dementia patients has taken away lives of a few patients....I really wish that now there will be an end for such tragic deaths! Giving these antipsychotics, even in reduced doses, to frail elderly patients often in poor health is awful. Isn't it?
I think prescribing antipsychotics trivially is merely 'inhumane act'. The key for medics and patients, is knowing that they are dangerous, thinking through options then using them when appropriate with an awareness.
Elderly patients with dementia who are being treated with an older class of antipsychotics appear to be at increased risk of dying. A majority of elderly patients with dementia develop aggression, delusions, and other neuropsychiatric symptoms during their illness course. Antipsychotics are commonly used to treat these behaviors, along with psychosocial and environmental interventions. Although information on the use of the older antipsychotics in nursing homes and elsewhere is spotty, the regulatory agency said that it thinks the older antipsychotics were not as widely used as the newer ones, which include Risperdal, Zyprexa and Seroquel. Thomas Laughren, Director of the FDA's Division of Psychiatry Products in the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said that none of the drugs is currently approved for use among elderly patients with dementia.
FDA officials issued a similar warning for newer antipsychotics (Abilify, Zyprexa) in 2005. Dr. Thomas Laughren said that the older antipsychotics are only now receiving the black box warning because previously there had not been enough data.
By,
Shilpa C Nangali
The US FDA announced on June 17, 2008 that a "black box" warning should be added on the labels of conventional antipsychotics such as haldol and thorazine, which are sometimes used to pacify dementia patients who become aggressive or disturbed.
Well, gal, I was happy knowing dat u were happy wen FDA announced its black box warning to be added to conventional antipsychotics used to treat elderly dementia...God bless u...I wish I had a daughter like u...anyways ppl out der who are reading...have u ever awakened frm an eventful dream only to feel like u actually lived it? Well believe it or not, there are times when ur body responds to dreams as if they were actually living them. It will happen. I know that suffering. My son left me in a rehabilitation center n never turned back to me after dat...now I should work to take care of myself...and with the money I earned I consulted a doc n I was put on antipsychotics to treat my aggression related to dementia...these meds just left me more confused n made my life a hell..I stopped taking dese meds after knowing dat it is fatal for me...if u have someone..any of ur elder with dis condition den I just request one thing to u ppl...plz make sure u are aware of what antipyschotic medication ur loved one is taking...n more over be with dat person..dnt leave them wen dey need u the most! Its my humble request to all of u...
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot for your blessings :)
ReplyDeleteWishing u a quick recovery...I completely agree with you that one should be aware of what meds his or her loved one is taking...thanks for sharing your views with us...this really gives us a lot of support.