EFN

Alzheimer’s disease overtime has some serious side effects that can not only be dangerous to those who have the disease but also to others around them. One type of side effect that can become dangerous is the aggression factor that may come into play. To help control these side effects, doctors have been prescribing anti psychotic drugs. Now however, more doctors are saying that the use of these drugs should be a last resort as a study has shown that those patients with the disease who are using anti psychotic drugs have a higher risk of death.

A study conducted over a three year period, with a little over 120 participants with Alzheimer’s disease, has shown that the risk of death is higher for patients with Alzheimer’s disease taking anti psychotic drugs then for those patients with the disease who took a placebo.

One year after the study had begun, doctors checked in on the patients and found that the numbers were very close for those patients who were taking both types of drugs to still be alive, around 70 to 77 percent. However, in the second year of follow up these numbers were drastically different. It was shown that with those patients on the anti psychotic drugs more had died, only 46 percent were still alive, compared with those patients on the placebo, 70 percent were still alive. In year three of follow up the numbers held true to the findings, only 30 percent were still alive of those patients taking the anti psychotic drugs compared to 54 percent on the placebo.

Doctors are saying that other methods of treatment are available other then the use of anti psychotic drugs. One of these methods is to change the environment and the way the patient is being dealt with in a positive manner that will help to eliminate the triggers that cause the side effects that can be dangerous. However, doctors are saying that if the other methods to try and help control the dangerous behavior are not working and all methods have been exhausted then the use of the anti psychotic drugs should be put into play.

It is best to discuss all options that are available for dealing with Alzheimer’s disease with your doctor to determine which method would be best for any particular patient, as they are all different in some way. Alzheimer’s disease is progressive so the earlier the detection and treatment starts the easier it will be to handle. However, it does sometimes advance even with early treatment. Do what you feel is best, but make sure to ask the necessary questions before making a decision that could do more harm than good.