Action Urged Over Dementia Drugs Alzheimer's Patients Prescribed Anti-psychotic Drugs 28.04.2008 MPs have urged the Government to intervene to stop the inappropriate prescribing of powerful anti-psychotic drugs to Alzheimer's patients.The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Dementia said up to 105,000 people with dementia in the UK are wrongly being treated with the drugs, but research has shown the medications have side effects which can actually accelerate mental decline.The drugs are intended for psychotic patients suffering from serious symptoms such as delusions but the MPs said they continue to be used as a first resort solution for challenging behaviour from sufferers of Alzheimer's and other types of dementia.The MPs demanded that ministers take action to address the problem and urged health watchdog Nice to carry out a thorough review.The report, entitled A Last Resort, lists five steps for reducing the use of anti-psychotics in the treatment of dementia.It points out that currently no audit or regulation of the prescribing practice exists.Jeremy Wright, chairman of the MPs' group, said: "A Last Resort shines a light on one of the darkest areas of dementia care. Anti-psychotics can double risk of death and triple risk of stroke in people with dementia, heavily sedate them and accelerate cognitive decline."Jonathan Peacock a Partner at Law Firm Irwin Mitchell who have represented many families whose relatives have suffered abuse in residential care homes said; "All too often powerful anti-psychotic drugs are being used inappropriately to control the behaviour of dementia patients, sometimes merely because staff looking after them are too busy or lack the necessary training or expertise to manage them in any other way. These alarming cases of inappropriate medication or over medication highlight yet again the inadequacy of safeguards over prescribing practice and the piecemeal and unsatisfactory nature of the regulation of care homes." Press contact James Clarke Press Officer +44 (0)161 838 3169 Email James Related articles 20.02.2019Handyman Devastated By Asbestos Cancer Diagnosis Calls On Ex-Butlins Filey Colleagues For Help 19.02.2019Light Aircraft Passengers At Risk Of Being Left Unable To Access Funds Due To Inadequate Insurance Rules 18.02.2019Irwin Mitchell In Birmingham Boosts Corporate Team With Partner Hire 18.02.2019Essex Teenager Seriously Hurt By Drink And Drugs Driver Issues Road Safety Plea 18.02.2019Legal Experts Urge Abuse Survivors Not To Suffer In Silence After Teaching Assistant Carl Jones Jailed For Sex Offences 15.02.2019Transgender Man Fights For Right To Be Recognised As Father On Child's Birth Certificate