The U nutrition and Drug Administr...

The U nutrition and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a warning to physicians and patients that off-label use of certain put drugs intos called "atypical antipsychotics" could be dangerous to older patients with dementia. Included in the advisory are antipsychotics so as aripiprazole (Abilify), olanzapine (Zyprexa), quetiapine (Seroquel) risperidone (Risperdal), clozapine (Clozaril), and ziprasidone (Geodon). publicly these drugs are approved to treat schizophrenia and mania. However, clinical studies have lay the foundation of that older patients with dementia who received an antipsychotic regimen had a mortality rate 16 to 17 times higher than patients who received placebo. In these studies, mostly deaths were heart related or from infection.

The FDA has ask fored that manufacturers include a warning forward the labels of antipsychotic medications describing the risk of off-label use to older patients with dementia. Patients who are taking an antipsychotic to treat a behavioral disorder associated with dementia should ask advice of their physician about continued use.

Additional information regarding this advisory or the specific medications included in the warning is available upon the FDA Web site at: http//www.fda.gov/cder/drug/ infopage/antipsychotics/default.htm.

COPYRIGHT 2005 American Academy of Family Physicians

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