Published 15 July 2008, doi:10.1136/bmj.a796
Cite this as: BMJ 2008;337:a796

Letters

Antipsychotics for dementia

Antipsychotics for dementia is metaphor for elderly care

The first 100% of the full text of this article appears below.

The blunt treatment of so called behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia with antipsychotics is a metaphor for medical care of the older patient.1 Individualised care plans with a true patient focus in a supportive environment will filter many prescriptions. The problem very often isn’t the patient but the provider and the care setting. Our residential prevalence of prescribing antipsychotics has fallen from 36% to 20% in 18 months, thanks to a concerted team approach to challenging behaviours.

Cite this as: BMJ 2008;337:a796

Paddy Quail, medical director Intercare

1 Holy Cross Centre, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2S 3C3

quail@ucalgary.ca

Competing interests: None declared.

  1. O’Brien J. Antipsychotics for people with dementia. BMJ 2008;337:a602. (9 July.)[Free Full Text]

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Relevant Article

Antipsychotics for people with dementia
John O’Brien
BMJ 2008 337: a602. [Extract] [Full Text]

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