Dementia drug use 'killing many'

[JJackson]

Dementia drug use 'killing many'


<!-- S BO --> <!-- S IBYL --> <table width="466" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td valign="bottom"> By Nick Triggle
Health reporter, BBC News
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>

<!-- E IBYL --> <!-- S IIMA --> <table width="226" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr><td>

Anti-psychotic drugs do not benefit many dementia patients

</td></tr> </tbody></table> <!-- E IIMA --> <!-- S SF -->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.
<!-- E SF -->These include:

• Improving access to other types of therapy, such as counselling
• Better monitoring of prescribing practices
• Guidance for families explaining what they can do if they are worried about drug use
• Specialist training in dementia for health and social care staff
• Appointment of a new national director for dementia to oversee the measures

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<!-- end of the embedded player component --> <!-- END of Inline Embedded Media --> The review - and the government pledge to take action - comes after long-running concerns about the use of anti-psychotic drugs.
Over the past 30 years, the NHS has increasingly turned to the treatment, which was originally aimed at people with schizophrenia, as it has struggled to cope with the rise in people with dement

[I don't seem to be able to get rid of the embedded video link - if you can please do so - JJ]