ANTIPSYCHOTICS GIVEN TO ELDERLY DEMENTED PATIENTS - COURSE IN NURSING-HOMES AFTER PSYCHIATRIC-HOSPITAL TREATMENT

Psychopharmacological treatment of all demented patients (n=49),discha rged to nursing homes after gerontopsychiatric hospital treatment in 1 992 and 1993, was analyzed. In spite of the higher risk of secondary e ffects in elderly,demented people are after prescriptions for psychoph armacologic medications, especially neuroleptics. It was shown that th e residents in nursing homes receive significantly more neuroleptics t han patients who are discharged (P=0.0001). Prescriptions for benzodia zepines were two times higher, whereas clomethiazole was rarely given. In nursing homes these substances were prescribed as continuous treat ment. Most prescriptions resulted from agitation,sleep disturbances or aggressive behavior. Astonishingly,the patients without positive effe cts from treatment,who worsened regarding behavioral complications of dementia, obtained the highest doses of neuroleptics.