antipsychotics death risk

From the United Kingdom, "...Rebecca Wood said the risks of antipsychotics were 'well-established' yet 'progress has been frustratingly slow' in reducing their use."

antipsychotics death risk charted

"The Department of Health said antipsychotic use was 'resulting in as many as 1,800 unnecessary deaths per year. This is simply unacceptable.'"

This is in the United Kingdom alone.

1,800 unnecessary deaths per year.  Per year, since antipsychotic use began, perhaps, only in dementia patients.



Of haloperidol, quetiapine, aripiprazole (Abilify), olanzapine (Zyprexa), and ziprasidone (Geodon, Zeldox, "quietapine was the only one of the other five to have a lesser risk of death, and the other three were 'not significantly different' than risperidone..."  -- MedPage

BBC News Health and Science Reporter James Gallagher said, "...the study...establishes a correlation between the drugs and the respective death rates."  He said the study's methodology does not show one antipsychotic results in more deaths than any other antipsychotic.

antipsychotic medication death rate



Harvard researchers "...stress the importance of prescribing such drugs in the lowest possible dose..."

"In the Harvard study, the antipsychotic drugs taken by nursing-home residents included:

• Aripiprazole.
• Haloperidol.
• Olanzapine.
• Quetiapine.
• Risperidone.
• Ziprasidone.

Out of the 75,445 residents, a total of 6,598 died within the six-month study from non-cancer related causes"
dementia death risk doubles on antipsychotics 



"...one in four patients with dementia are being prescribed antipsychotics in order to sedate them and control difficult behaviour."

" Antipsychotics are not used for early dementia. They won’t be thrown down the throats of people who have misplaced their door key or forgotten a dental appointment. They are prescribed for agitated disturbed patients during the last stages of this awful disease."


can a chemical cosh ever be compassionate?

Knowing the horrific side-effects of antipsychotics, as well, I think possibly, possibly, No.  Probably, No.

No.  No.