Alzheimer's Disease: Antipsychotic Treatment Does More Harm Than Good, New Study Reveals

Antipsychotic drugs are being recommended for patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) more frequently than in the general population, two to three years before patients are given an Alzheimer's diagnosis, according to a new study from the University of Eastern Finland.

Antipsychotics are commonly initiated six months following the Alzheimer's diagnosis, and the incidence of new antipsychotic users was high later on as well, the researchers revealed in a news release.

The use of antipsychotics as a treatment for memory disorders should be limited as a short-term treatment of severe psychotic symptoms, agitation and aggression, according to the Finnish Current Care Guidelines. 

In the study, the researchers analyzed the incidence of antipsychotic use eight years before and four years after the Alzheimer's diagnosis. They found that one-third of the people with Alzheimer's disease used antipsychotic drugs. The extent of antipsychotics use among persons with Alzheimer's disease was five times higher than in a control group that was not diagnosed with it.  

The study did an evaluation of 7,217 Finnish patients with Alzheimer's disease who used antipsychotics. In a previous study of the same population group, researchers found that the use of antipsychotics in patients with Alzheimer's disease continued for a significantly long period - more than half of them, 57 percent, were long term users. Their antipsychotic drug use lasted for more than a year, according to the researchers.

In the study, the researchers revealed that the risks of antipsychotics may be greater than the benefits among persons with Alzheimer's disease.

"In Finland, the present incidence of antipsychotic use and the duration of antipsychotic treatment are not in line with the treatment guidelines," said Professor Sirpa Hartikainen. "This is a cause of concern, because the use of antipsychotics increases the risk of severe adverse incidents such as stroke, falling and fracture, and death."

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