Antipsychotic Drugs Linked to More Hospitalizations Among People With Dementia

A study in the Journal of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine found people with dementia who take antipsychotics were more likely to spend time in the hospital than non-takers, reports Being Patient . The investigators examined the use of risperidone and quetiapine over the course of two years. Users spent an average 11 additional days in the hospital versus non-users. "Previous studies have not investigated the risk of hospitalization among persons with Alzheimer's disease AD nor the accumulation of hospital days associated with antipsychotic use, although antipsychotics are commonly used in this group," the researchers noted. Persons with dementia who used antipsychotics were in the hospital for an average of about 52 days, compared to 35 days for those who were not using the drugs. Hospitalizations among those using antipsychotics were caused primarily by mental and behavioral symptoms related to dementia, along with respiratory, circulatory, and infectious ailments. The authors stressed the importance of taking precautions when using or prescribing antipsychotics for people with dementia, given past concerns of adverse events. "These findings indicate the necessity for careful and regular monitoring of antipsychotic use to assess the response and decrease the risk of adverse events," the researchers concluded.