Despite voluminous warnings on the health dangers of antipsychotic
drugs - the use is increasing. Who prescribes antipsychotic
drugs? Mainly - psychiatrists:

"The study, which looked at visits to pediatricians and other
doctors,
found that psychiatrists were the most likely to prescribe
antipsychotic drugs." New York Times, June 6, 2006

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Bay News 9 (Tampa) Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIkJZlJljD4
August 25, 2008

Antipsychotic Drug Use Up in Elderly Despite Warnings
August 25, 2008

MONDAY, Aug. 25 -- Safety warnings slowed the use of antipsychotic
drugs in seniors with dementia. But the overall use of the drugs in
the elderly increased, a finding which suggests that warnings may not
be sufficient to protect patients, Canadian researchers say.

Between late 2002 and June 2005, Health Canada issued three warnings
that three new atypical antipsychotic drugs increased the risk of
stroke and death in elderly patients with dementia.

The researchers analyzed prescription drug data in the province of
Ontario and found that antipsychotic drug use among the elderly
increased 20 percent from the month prior to the first warning in
September 2002 to February 2007. About 70 percent of the seniors
receiving antipsychotic drugs lived in nursing homes, and about 40
percent of them were 85 or older.

"This finding highlights the limited impact of warnings and suggests
that more effective approaches are needed to protect vulnerable
populations from potentially hazardous medications," wrote Dr.
Geoffrey Anderson, of the University of Toronto, and colleagues.

The study was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Story link here:
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2008/08/25/antipsy...