Over-medicating potentially deadly
Older Australians are being prescribed antipsychotic drugs at an “astonishing” rate which experts say indicates a potentially deadly over-prescription for behaviour control in dementia patients. Medicare data shows antipsychotic drugs are given to people aged over 67 years at twice the rate.
Older Australians are being prescribed antipsychotic drugs at an “astonishing” rate which experts say indicates a potentially deadly over-prescription for behaviour control in dementia patients.
Medicare data shows antipsychotic drugs are given to people aged over 67 years at twice the rate they are given to younger people.
Last year more than one million prescriptions for antipsychotic medications – and four million for antidepressants were written for people aged over 67 years.
A clinical professor at the medical school at Sydney University, John Snowdon, told The Sydney Morning Herald antipsychotic medication doubles the risk of death in dementia patients, as well as increasing illness.
“It is astonishing there should be such a difference between the elderly and the middle aged,” Professor Snowdon says.
An analysis of prescribing numbers provided by the Department of Human Services shows there are nearly 40 antipsychotic prescriptions for every 100 older Australians, compared with 20 for every 100 people aged 62 to 66 years.
The data reveals antidepressant prescriptions average more than one each year for every person aged over 67.
University of NSW psychiatrist, Matthew Large, who analysed the data for the Herald, says he is shocked.
A clinical adviser for the National Prescribing Service, Philippa Binns, says depression among older people is growing.
“Even though the prescription rates are high there could actually also be under-diagnosis. But … in the older age group the effect of antidepressants is modest at best … we should always be thinking about non-medical options,” she says.
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