Painkiller Used for Dementia 'Could Make Symptoms Worse'

A study presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference 2018 warns the painkiller buprenorphine, which is often used by people with dementia, has exacerbating side effects including sedation and confusion, reports The Guardian . "We know that many people with dementia use drugs that act on the nervous system, often several in combination, for long periods of time with inadequate assessment of ... whether the person still has a beneficial effect from treatment," says the University of Bergen's Ane Erdal. The researchers randomly assigned 44 nursing community residents with advanced dementia in Norway to receive a patch with buprenorphine, while another 45 got a placebo. In comparison with those administered the placebo, those using the buprenorphine patch were 24 times more likely to drop out of the 13-week trial, after accounting for factors such as age, sex, pain, and depression. Meanwhile, 23 of those using the buprenorphine patch exited the trial, versus six using the placebo. Erdal notes people taking antidepressants as well as buprenorphine were at the highest risk of adverse events. Furthermore, those who used the buprenorphine patch experienced a decline in daily activity on the second day of the trial that was not observed in the placebo cohort. "These results suggest that due to side effects like sedation, personality changes, and confusion, very careful consideration should be taken when prescribing opioid pain relief to people with dementia," says the Alzheimer's Society's Sally Copely.