http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7319393.stm

Medication 'worsens Alzheimer's'

Anti-psychotic drugs commonly given to Alzheimer's patients often make
their condition worse, a UK study suggests.

Neuroleptics provided no benefit for patients with mild behavioural
problems, but were associated with a marked deterioration in verbal skills.

The research focused on 165 people with advanced Alzheimer's who were
living in nursing homes in four British cities.

Up to 60% of Alzheimer's patients in nursing homes are given the drugs
to control behaviour such as aggression.

The study appears in the journal Public Libary of Science Medicine.

   
CASE STUDY
Rita Clark's husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer's seven years ago.
Rita, from Cleveland, said: "My husband developed a range of side
effects while receiving anti-psychotic drugs.
"Since the drugs have been withdrawn, the side effects have gone and he
generally seems much better and more settled.
"I'm not saying it's the same for everyone, but in my husband's case,
withdrawing the drugs has led to a clear improvement in his quality of
life."

The researchers, from Kings College London and the Universities of
Oxford and Newcastle, found the drugs offered no long-term benefit for
most patients with mild symptoms of disturbed behaviour.

But just six months of treatment was enough for patients to show a
marked deterioration in their verbal fluency.

Further preliminary analysis already under way on the data suggests the
use of neuroleptics may also increase death rates.

The research focused on patients living in nursing homes in Oxfordshire,
Newcastle, Edinburgh and London.

All patients had been taking neuroleptics for three months. They either
continued on the same medication for a further 12 months, or took a
dummy pill.

Lead researcher Professor Clive Ballard, said: "It is very clear that
even over a six-month period of treatment, there is no benefit from
neuroleptics in treating the behaviour in people with Alzheimer's
disease when the symptoms are mild.

"For people with more severe behavioural symptoms, balancing the
potential benefits against adverse effects is more difficult."

Rebecca Wood, of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: "These results
are deeply troubling and highlight the urgent need to develop better
treatments."

The trust says that neuroleptics should only continue to be prescribed
long-term to dementia patients with severe behavioural problems, and
then only as a last resort when non-drug methods have been tried and
have failed.

Stroke risk

Neil Hunt, of the Alzheimer's Society, said previous research had also
shown that anti-psychotic drugs raised the risk of stroke and death for
people with dementia.

"This widespread overprescription to people with dementia must stop," he
said.

"It is time we stop wasting money giving people drug treatments with no
benefit and start investing in good quality dementia care."

It is estimated that 700,000 people are affected by dementia in the UK,
a figure that will double in the next 30 years.

A report into the use of anti-psychotics in care homes is due to be
published by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Dementia this month.

The neuroleptics which came under analysis in the study were
thioridazine (Melleril), chlorpromazine (Largactil), haloperidol
(Serenace), trifluoperazine (Stelazine) and risperidone (Risperdal).