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Dementia. Prescribed Risperidone, Seroquel. Are They Safe To Be Given?
My father just got placed in a nursing home 10 days ago. He is having difficulty recognizing his room and is wandering into other patients' rooms. The behavioral consultant for this nursing home is reccomending a "very low dose" of either risperidone or seroquel. In looking them up online there are very emphatic warnings against using either of these drugs for the treatment of behaviors due to dementia, which my dad has. He is 82. What should I do?
Tue, 18 Jun 2013
Hi,
Neuro-psychiatric or behavioral disturbances commonly co-occur with dementia. Managing them without drugs like psychotherapy, behavioral management would be first line. If they are ineffective or if the behavior poses a threat to the patient's or caregiver's safety then drug therapies are considered.
Yes the drugs do carry a risk and so the use of these medications for treatment in cases of dementia are carefully considered, weighing the potential risks with the benefit for target symptoms.
Hope this helps,
Dr Anjana rao.
Neuro-psychiatric or behavioral disturbances commonly co-occur with dementia. Managing them without drugs like psychotherapy, behavioral management would be first line. If they are ineffective or if the behavior poses a threat to the patient's or caregiver's safety then drug therapies are considered.
Yes the drugs do carry a risk and so the use of these medications for treatment in cases of dementia are carefully considered, weighing the potential risks with the benefit for target symptoms.
Hope this helps,
Dr Anjana rao.
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