BMJ  2008;336:983 (3 May), doi:10.1136/bmj.39566.573079.4E

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MPs call for better safeguards on antipsychotic use in care homes

Lynn Eaton

1 London

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The government should take action to stop dangerous prescribing of antipsychotic drugs to people with dementia, says a report from a group of MPs.

The all party parliamentary group on dementia says that the government should use its national dementia strategy, which is due to be published in October, to tackle the problem and that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence should review use of the drugs.

"Antipsychotics can double the risk of death and triple the risk of stroke in people with dementia, heavily sedate them, and accelerate cognitive decline," said Jeremy Wright, the group’s chairman. "Best practice guidelines are not enough: safeguards must be put in place to ensure antipsychotics are always a last resort."

A lack of support from appropriate specialists can lead to people going for a long time without any review of their treatment, says the report. As a result, prescriptions are not . . . [Full text of this article]


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