See related issues
- "Fox, Douglas Kennedy, Lilly pays $1.42 billion in Zyprexa suit".
- Alzheimer's drugs double death risk in elderly
- The "Business" of Drugs: Not To be outdone by Eli Lilly, Pfizer raises the Settlement Bar on Criminal Off Label
Marketing of Drugs To $2.3 Billion - The "Business" of Drugs: Pfizer may be hit with another $153 million in potential legal fines for Medicaid fraud
- The "Business" of Drugs: Seroquel's Falsified Studies Exposed
- The "Business" of Drugs: Pharmaceutical "Cocktails" Found in Fish Near Major U.S. Cities
from The Associated Press
LONDON January 8, 2009, 07:05 pm ET · Anti-psychotic drugs commonly used To treat Alzheimer's disease may
double a patient's chance of dying within a few years, suggests a new study that adds To concerns already known
about such medications.
"For the vast majority of Alzheimer's patients, taking these drugs is probably Not a worthwhile risk," said Clive Ballard,
the paper's lead author, of the Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases at King's College London.
"Would I want To take a drug that slightly reduced my aggression but doubled my risk of dying? I'm Not sure I would,"
Ballard said.
The research was published Friday in the medical journal, Lancet Neurology.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia and causes symptoms including aggression, delusions
and hallucinations. Previous studies have shown anti-psychotic drugs, which can help control the aggression and
hallucinations for a few months raise the risk of death in older patients with dementia. There are other side effects,
including respiratory problems and stroke.
Ballard and colleagues followed 165 patients aged 67 To 100 years with moderate To severe Alzheimer's disease
from 2001 To 2004 in Britain. Half continued taking their anti-psychotic drugs, which included Risperdal, Thorazine
and Stelazine. The other half got placebos.
Of the 83 receiving drugs, 39 were dead after a year. Of the 82 taking fake pills, 27 were dead after a year. Most
deaths in both groups were due To pneumonia.
After two years, 46 percent of Alzheimer's patients taking the anti-psychotics were alive, versus 71 percent of those
Not on the drugs. After three years, only 30 percent of patients on the drugs were alive, versus 59 percent of those Not
taking drugs.
In the United Kingdom and the United States, guidelines advise doctors To use anti-psychotic drugs cautiously and
temporarily. But in many nursing homes in Europe and North America, up To 60 percent of patients with dementia are
routinely given the drugs for one To two years.
"The drug regimen for any person with Alzheimer's needs To be personalized," said William Thies of the Alzheimer's
Association in the U.S. Thies was Not connected To the study. "At some points, some people will be better off with no
medication."
Simon Lovestone of the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College in London said psychiatrists should try environmental
or behavioral therapies instead of anti-psychotics.
Experts aren't sure how the anti-psychotics increase patients' risk of dying. But they think
the drugs could be damaging To the brain and their sedative effects make patients less able
To exercise and more susceptible To deadly infections.
The study was paid for by the U.K. Alzheimer's Research Trust. Ballard reported receiving
grants from various pharmaceutical companies which make drugs used To treat Alzheimer's
patients.
Source http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=99141561
| Who do you know that is an artist? Have them promoted here! No charge! Post a link To my site To help me help you!. Alzheimer's drugs double death Risk in elderly |
| CARLWATTSARTIST.COM "Art by Carl" Alzheimer's drugs double death risk in elderly |
Page created 1/10/09 modified
1/11/09, 4/1/09
1/11/09, 4/1/09
12/31/08
Carl Watts, Nutrition Response Testing Certified, WFG Associate,
Nutritionist, Artist, Designer, Problem Solver, Author, Publisher, Philosopher
PO Box 285
Tujunga, CA 91042
personalized poems,personalized poetry,business poems,business
poetry,poetry for industry,poems for your business,poems for your
industry,help,problem
solver,cause,Poems,Poetry,Writing,Stories,Art,response,testing,health,free
dom,total,,designer,promoter,author,consultant,author,writer,have a poem
written for you,I'll write you a poem,poems for gifts,give a poem To
another,a poem for your wife,a poem for your husband,a poem for a
lover,a poem for your mom,a poem for your dad,father,mother,child,poetry
for all,poetry for anyone,Extraordinary Poetry from Ordinary People,poetry
For people from all walks of life
Carl Watts, Nutrition Response Testing Certified, WFG Associate,
Nutritionist, Artist, Designer, Problem Solver, Author, Publisher, Philosopher
PO Box 285
Tujunga, CA 91042
personalized poems,personalized poetry,business poems,business
poetry,poetry for industry,poems for your business,poems for your
industry,help,problem
solver,cause,Poems,Poetry,Writing,Stories,Art,response,testing,health,free
dom,total,,designer,promoter,author,consultant,author,writer,have a poem
written for you,I'll write you a poem,poems for gifts,give a poem To
another,a poem for your wife,a poem for your husband,a poem for a
lover,a poem for your mom,a poem for your dad,father,mother,child,poetry
for all,poetry for anyone,Extraordinary Poetry from Ordinary People,poetry
For people from all walks of life
Page created 2/19/09
12/31/08
Carl Watts, Nutrition Response Testing Certified, WFG Associate,
Nutritionist, Artist, Designer, Problem Solver, Author, Publisher, Philosopher
PO Box 285
Tujunga, CA 91042
personalized poems,personalized poetry,business poems,business
poetry,poetry for industry,poems for your business,poems for your
industry,help,problem
solver,cause,Poems,Poetry,Writing,Stories,Art,response,testing,health,free
dom,total,,designer,promoter,author,consultant,author,writer,have a poem
written for you,I'll write you a poem,poems for gifts,give a poem To
another,a poem for your wife,a poem for your husband,a poem for a
lover,a poem for your mom,a poem for your dad,father,mother,child,poetry
for all,poetry for anyone,Extraordinary Poetry from Ordinary People,poetry
For people from all walks of life
Carl Watts, Nutrition Response Testing Certified, WFG Associate,
Nutritionist, Artist, Designer, Problem Solver, Author, Publisher, Philosopher
PO Box 285
Tujunga, CA 91042
personalized poems,personalized poetry,business poems,business
poetry,poetry for industry,poems for your business,poems for your
industry,help,problem
solver,cause,Poems,Poetry,Writing,Stories,Art,response,testing,health,free
dom,total,,designer,promoter,author,consultant,author,writer,have a poem
written for you,I'll write you a poem,poems for gifts,give a poem To
another,a poem for your wife,a poem for your husband,a poem for a
lover,a poem for your mom,a poem for your dad,father,mother,child,poetry
for all,poetry for anyone,Extraordinary Poetry from Ordinary People,poetry
For people from all walks of life
| How can I help you? I will listen To you & something can be done about it. Contact me! |
