Antipsychotics for Parkinson’s Psychosis May Be Dangerous
A new study from the U.K. finds that antipsychotic drugs may increase the risk of death in people with Parkinson’s disease psychosis (PDP).
Researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London found that people with PDP who were treated with antipsychotics were four times more likely to have died following three to six months of treatment than those who did not receive any antipsychotic medication.
Investigators also discovered that when people with PDP received antipsychotic medications they were more likely to experience serious health issues including cognitive decline, worsening of Parkinson’s symptoms, stroke, infections, and falls.
Parkinson’s disease affects approximately seven to 10 million people worldwide and is characterized by progressive loss of motor function, psychiatric symptoms, and cognitive impairment.
Psychosis is a common and distressing group of psychiatric symptoms affecting people with Parkinson’s, usually manifesting as hallucinations and delusions.
PDP affects more than 50 percent of people with Parkinson’s at some point in their condition and antipsychotic drugs are often used to treat this psychosis. Researchers say, however, that there is little evidence to support their use.
In the new study, researchers examined more than 400 people with PDP, who were taking part in a separate trial, to assess the impact of antipsychotic medications on their overall health and wellbeing. Participants were categorized into two groups, those receiving antipsychotics and those who did not take any antipsychotic medications at any time during the study.
Professor Clive Ballard from the Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases at the IoPPN, King’s College London, said, “Our findings clearly indicate serious risks associated with antipsychotics and highlight the need for greater caution in treating psychosis in Parkinson’s disease.
“Antipsychotics are known to be linked to serious harm in people with Alzheimer’s disease, and these findings show that a similar, although not identical, risk is seen in people with Parkinson’s.
“Our findings therefore strongly suggest that doctors, patients and family members should consider these risks very carefully when considering potential treatments for psychosis and any other behavioral symptom in people with Parkinson’s disease, such as agitation or aggression.
“Further research is required to develop new, better treatments for psychosis and other behavioral symptoms.”
BY
jagadeesh krishnan
Psychologist and International Author
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