Canadian Institute of Health Identifies Provinces Overprescribing Antipsychotics
âA new study is giving insight into how long-term care patients in the province are progressing â or, in some cases, worsening â over time. It found those living in central Newfoundland are more likely to be given antipsychotic drugs they don't need.â
Is “Low Testosterone” Actually a “Disease”?
-Various experts weigh in on whether the boom in diagnosing psychological and physical problems as being caused by "low testosterone" is "disease-mongering."
A Quiet Drug Problem Among the Elderly
From The New York Times: Use of benzodiazepines has risen among seniors despite their increased vulnerability to the drugs' adverse effects.
"'Set aside the opioid issue,'...
Loneliness as Lethal: Researchers Name Social Isolation a âPublic Health Threatâ
Researchers present loneliness as a health threat facing a growing number of Americans.
The “It’s All in Your Head” Diagnosis Endangers Women’s Health
From Los Angeles Times: Many physicians are quick to dismiss women's serious health concerns as psychological issues, leading to the delay of proper treatment and...
Biogen Pushes FDA to Approve Failed Alzheimerâs Drug
A new analysis, published in Lancet Neurology, demonstrates how Biogen is spinning results from two failed trials for a new Alzheimer's drug.
Weaning the Elderly off Sleeping Pills
In a follow-up to an earlier commentary on the topic, Paula Span discusses the widespread use and negative effects of sleeping pills among the...
Older Patients Being Prescribed Risky Anticholinergic Drugs
From MinnPost: A new University of Minnesota study has found that anticholinergic drugs, including antidepressants, continue to be prescribed to millions of older Americans despite...
âMedicare Drug Program Fails to Monitor Prescribers, Putting Seniors and Disabled at Riskâ
ProPublica and The Washington Post have performed an investigation revealing that Medicare has failed to monitor the safety of the large quantities of drugs...
California Clinic Comes Under Increased Scrutiny After Suicide
An article for the Los Angeles Times, entitled âHis 83-year-old Wife jumped to her death from a Kaiser clinic- why?â tells the story of Barbara Ragan who stepped off a roof in front of her mental health clinic with traces of Xanax, Prozac and an antidepressant in her blood.
Investigation Reveals Alarming ECT Practices in England
Audit of ECT usage, demographics, and adherence to guidelines and legislation raises concern over its continued use.
Deprescribing: How to be on Less Medication for Healthier Aging
In this post for Better Health While Aging, Dr. Leslie Kernisan discusses the importance of making sure that older adults are taking the minimum amount...
Radical Disabled Americans Bringing Direct Action to Your Town
From Pacific Standard: ADAPT, a national direct action disability rights group, recently staged a protest to fight provisions in the GOP's health care plan that will...
Anticholinergic Medications Linked to Dementia Similar to Early Alzheimerâs
A new study, published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, investigates the effects of anticholinergic medications, such as antidepressants and antipsychotics, on cognition in older adults diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Training Nursing Home Staff in Understanding Needs Can Reduce Antipsychotic Use
A new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, the largest study of its kind, has shown it is possible to reduce the use of antipsychotics in nursing homes, by engaging their staff in a training program designed to target residentsâ strengths and their unmet needs.
Review Finds Little Evidence that Electroconvulsive Therapy is Effective for Depression
Researchers examined the dearth of support for Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for depressive symptoms in light of studies detailing the associated risks.
âThe Dangers of âPolypharmacy,â the Ever-Mounting Pile of Pillsâ
In the New York Times, Paula Span discusses the risks of polypharmacy, the use of five or more drugs at the same time, which...
Not an Onion Study: Underpowered Analysis Of Poor Quality Data Finds Antipsychotics Actually Aren’t...
University of Groningen researchers analyzed only small, short-term clinical trials of generally poor quality to determine that antipsychotics are not linked to increased risk of death in elderly people with dementia.
Cognitive Enhancement With Yoga
From Psychiatric Times: A recent study suggests that Kundalini yoga may be at least as effective as memory training in improving cognitive resilience in older adults with...
Antidepressant Use Linked to Dementia
A new study finds that elderly individuals using antidepressants are at significantly higher risk for dementia compared to depressed individuals who did not take the drugs.
âFears That Antipsychotic Drugs Being Used as ‘Chemical Cosh’ in Disability Careâ
An editorial in the Guardian discusses the fact that the number of people with intellectual or learning disabilities âwho are being treated with psychotropic drugs far exceeds those with mental illness.â The authors of a new study examining the overuse of psychotropic drugs on people with learning disabilities, published this month in BMJ, argue: âIf people without mental illness are given psychotropic drugs⊠it is probably to control their behavior.â
Certain Antidepressants, Sleep Aids Associated with Higher Dementia Risk
Greater cumulative doses of drugs that are anticholinergic or block the neurotransmitter acetylcholine are associated with significant increases in dementia and Alzheimer's.
Deadly Drugs Misused in U.S. Nursing Facilities
From AARP: The family of Bobby Glenn Tweed recently settled a lawsuit with a nursing home over his wrongful death. Tweed was prescribed psychotropic drugs without...
Study Reduces Over-prescription of Antipsychotics in Older Adults
New intervention shows promise in reducing over-prescription of off-label antipsychotics in older adults.
Replacing Pain with Pain: Hazards of Antidepressant Use for Chronic Pain Relief
The paradox of relieving chronic pain with an antidepressant (and a new set of symptoms).
