Elder Law

Antipsychotic Drugs Dangerous for the Elderly: Study Shows Increased Rate of Hospitalization and Death

By Levin & Perconti

A recent study shows that elderly people with dementia who are prescribed antipsychotic medications like Haldol (haloperidol), Zyprexa (olanzapine), and Risperdal (risperidone), even for a short time, faced increased risks of ending up in the hospital and dying. Though there are limited alternatives to antipsychotics for the treatment of some behaviors associated with dementia and impaired cognitive functions, there is a clear indication that treatment with antipsychotics may lead to an increased risk of antipsychotic medication injury, nursing home wrongful death, and nursing home medical malpractice or medication injury. Elderly patients who were put on antipsychotics were 3.2 times more likely than individuals who had received no antipsychotics to be hospitalized or to die during the 30 days for follow-up.

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Full post as published by Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog on May 28, 2008 (boomark / email).