The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry
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Am J Geriatr Psychiatry · Dec 2015
Trends in Psychotropic Dispensing Among Older Adults with Dementia Living in Long-Term Care Facilities: 2004-2013.
Guidelines worldwide have cautioned against the use of antipsychotics as first-line agents to treat neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia. We aimed to investigate the changes over time in the dispensing of antipsychotics and other psychotropics among older adults with dementia living in long-term care facilities. ⋯ Utilization patterns of psychotropic drugs in institutionalized patients with dementia have changed over the past decade. Although their use declined slightly over the study period, atypical antipsychotics continue to be used at a high rate. A decline in the use of benzodiazepines along with an increased use of sedative and non-sedative antidepressants suggests that the latter class of drugs is being substituted for the former in the management of neuropsychiatric symptoms. Psychotropic polypharmacy continues to be highly prevalent in these patient samples.
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Am J Geriatr Psychiatry · Dec 2015
Randomized Controlled TrialAnticholinergic Exposure During Rehabilitation: Cognitive and Physical Function Outcomes in Patients with Delirium Superimposed on Dementia.
We examined the association between anticholinergic medication exposure and subsequent cognitive and physical function in patients with delirium superimposed on dementia during rehabilitation. We also examined length of stay and discharge disposition by anticholinergic medication exposure. ⋯ For vulnerable older adults, anticholinergic exposure represents a potentially modifiable risk factor for poor attention, working memory, physical function, and greater length of stay during rehabilitation.