Advisor Information
Dr. Janelle Beadle
Location
MBSC 224
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Start Date
6-3-2020 2:15 PM
End Date
6-3-2020 3:15 PM
Abstract
Over-prescribing is an issue faced by many in the older population, but dementia patients statistically experience higher prescribing rates of potentially inappropriate medications compared to their peers. There are currently no FDA approved medications available for the direct treatment of dementia, but drug classes like anticholinergics and psychotropics are used for the management of behavioral symptoms associated with the disease. These drugs can cause negative side-effects in the dementia populations including gastrointestinal issues, neurological issues, increased hospitalizations, and increased mortality rates within this group. Most troubling, the benefits that are supposed to occur from taking these drugs have been show in recent studies to be only of minimal effect in this population.
There are a variety of reasons as to why we are seeing this trend in the dementia population. Staffing shortages in the medical field have forced many patients to seek mental health care from primary care providers and nurse practitioners instead of psychiatrists. Additionally, many nursing homes are unable to provide enough time and staff for non-prescription forms of treatment; making pharmaceutical interventions the easiest route of care management. Steps have been taken to address problems, including the addition of black box warning labels, the publication of criteria lists of risky medications, and better diagnostic intake assessments, with mixed results. In order to provide the best treatment for the dementia population, further action needs to be pursued so that better care management can lead to better health outcomes.
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Included in
A Melting Pot of Medications: Issues regarding Over-Prescribing in Dementia Populations
MBSC 224
Over-prescribing is an issue faced by many in the older population, but dementia patients statistically experience higher prescribing rates of potentially inappropriate medications compared to their peers. There are currently no FDA approved medications available for the direct treatment of dementia, but drug classes like anticholinergics and psychotropics are used for the management of behavioral symptoms associated with the disease. These drugs can cause negative side-effects in the dementia populations including gastrointestinal issues, neurological issues, increased hospitalizations, and increased mortality rates within this group. Most troubling, the benefits that are supposed to occur from taking these drugs have been show in recent studies to be only of minimal effect in this population.
There are a variety of reasons as to why we are seeing this trend in the dementia population. Staffing shortages in the medical field have forced many patients to seek mental health care from primary care providers and nurse practitioners instead of psychiatrists. Additionally, many nursing homes are unable to provide enough time and staff for non-prescription forms of treatment; making pharmaceutical interventions the easiest route of care management. Steps have been taken to address problems, including the addition of black box warning labels, the publication of criteria lists of risky medications, and better diagnostic intake assessments, with mixed results. In order to provide the best treatment for the dementia population, further action needs to be pursued so that better care management can lead to better health outcomes.