Antipsychotic drugs are used for managing psychosis and other mental and emotional disorders. The primary indication of antipsychotic drugs is schizophrenia. It is also used to patients with bipolar affective behaviors and Tourette’s syndrome. Antipsychotics also have indicative components that manage depression. For the elders, it is most commonly used to manage agitated behaviours caused by dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. These two are the most common disease associated to growing old.
For the elderly, these are said to have adverse effects. However, these drugs are still being used to them. Because of their age, it is common for them to have weak bodies and to have several ailments and complications. This puts them at “the higher risk of medication-related problems” (Chutka, Hoe, & Takahashi). This puts their population as one of the highest users of antipsychotic drugs, but there are few studies that focuses on the “efficacy, safety, and tolerability of these agents” (Maixner, Mellow, & Tandon). Such factors give the elderly population higher precautionary measures in the use of antipsychotic drugs.
One apparent cause of the dangers of antipsychotic drugs is polypharmacy. It is known to be a serious problem in some institutions for the elderly. Polypharmacy is the use of multiple drugs to a patient in order to treat one or more disease. Specifically, it is the combination of four or more drugs that are allegedly unnecessary. Intellectual disability among the elders has also been linked to polypharmacy. The side effect of combining drugs is primarily the reason for its harmful effect. It has also been accepted in pharmacology that it is impossible to predict the outcome of multiple-drug use. Polypharmacy in antipsychotic drugs is mostly done to patients with schizophrenia and other related disorders.
Aside from this, clinical evidences also indicate “inhibitory effects” and account for “cognitive impairment” to psychosis-associated systems of the elder population (Byerly et al). Extrapyramidal effects are also associated to the use of antipsychotic drugs. This includes symptoms such as tremors, slurred speech, akathisia, anxiety, paranoia, dyskinesia, and neuroleptic malignant syndrome (Masand). Another effect is orthostatic hypotension which causes low blood pressure when suddenly standing up. This is also called as “head rush” and is common even to younger patients, but since the elderly is more susceptible to lower blood pressure, it becomes harmful to them. Because of these effects, antipsychotics are contraindicated to patients with hypersensitivity, severe depression, Parkinson’s disease, coronary-artery disease, liver impairment, severe hypertension or hypotension. According to Rick Nauert, stroke is also found out to be a risk for patients who use antipsychotics. Moreover, it has an increased risk to older patients and to those who have dementia.
It is recommended that antipsychotics should be started at low dosages especially for old patients. Since side effects cannot be prevented, it should be monitored closely at initial treatment. Although there are many adverse effects to the use of antipsychotics to the older population, it is still needed to manage many ailments that come with old age. Together with this, it is also important that the caring for the elderly is dealt with outmost precaution. Although antipsychotics are indicated to control disorders, it still has several adverse effects which if added to inappropriate use and care becomes more dangerous, especially for older people.
Works Cited
Byerly, Matthew., et al. “Antipsychotic Medications and the Elderly.” Drugs & Aging, 18.1 (2001): 45-61. Web. 13 Dec 2014.
Chutka, Darryl., Hoel, Robert., and Takahashi, Paul. “Inappropriate Medications for Elderly Patients.” Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 79.1 (2004): 122-139. Web. 13 Dec 2014
Maixner, Seth., Mellow, Allan, and Tandon, R. “The efficacy, safety, and tolerability of antipsychotics in the elderly.” The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 60.8 (1999): 29-41. Web. 13 Dec 2014
Masand, Prakash. “Side effects of antipsychotics in the elderly”. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 61.8 (2000). Web. 13 Dec 2014
Nauert, Rick. “Safer Use of Antipsychotics in Elderly.” Psych Central. (2013). Web. 13 Dec 2014
