Senior Health Update - Antipsychotic Drugs May Help with Dementia

A recent drug study holds good news for senior health, especially for elderly patients suffering from dementia. Antipsychotic drugs, usually used to treat diseases like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, are now being used to contain the symptoms of dementia.

Antipsychotic medications can help with aggression and agitation, two common symptoms of dementia. However, most studies that have researched the effects of antipsychotics on dementia patients have only followed their effects for 12 weeks.

Some experts are worried that the existing research has not explored the long-term effects of the drugs adequately. Antipsychotic drugs prescribed for dementia have serious side effects, including death in some cases.

"These drugs still do have the best evidence in terms of their effectiveness for these kinds of problems, compared to any other intervention but again, because of their serious safety concerns, you really need to weigh their risks against the benefits," Dr. Nathan Herrmann, a geriatric psychiatrist, explained.