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Although it works well for people with schizophrenia, there is much less evidence that it reduces hallucinations and delusions in people with dementia, so it is not often used.Īntipsychotic drug treatments should be reviewed after six or 12 weeks, or both.

aripiprazole – This is one of the newest antipsychotic drugs.

However, it can make confusion worse, affect the person’s metabolism and increase the risk of them having a stroke

olanzapine – This is not as effective as risperidone, but may be prescribed if the doctor needs to sedate the person to stop them becoming agitated.

They may also cause the person to become drowsy or dizzy, which can increase the risk of falling However, there is very little evidence that they are effective.

This is because they interfere less with drugs that treat other symptoms of these conditions.

quetiapine and clozapine – These drugs are mostly used if a person has dementia with Lewy bodies or Parkinson’s disease dementia.

The off-label antipsychotics most often used for patients with dementia are: So if a person has already had a stroke it might be safer to prescribe an off-label drug that doesn’t carry this risk, even though it might be less effective. This means that the doctor can prescribe them if they have good reason to do so, and provided they follow guidance set out by the General Medical Council.Ī doctor may choose to prescribe an off-label antipsychotic drug when it offers a better balance of benefits and risks for an individual patient. For example, risperidone may be effective in people with dementia, but it also increases the risk of having a stroke. Other antipsychotic drugs prescribed for people with dementia are done so ‘off-label’. It tends to be used only in emergencies as a last resort. However, most doctors consider its risks and side effects in people with dementia to be too severe. However, this is only if non-drug approaches have already been tried without success.Īn older antipsychotic called haloperidol is licensed for use in people with Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia. It is licensed for short-term (up to six weeks) treatment of persistent aggression in people with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s disease when there is risk of harm to the person or others.

The drug with the most evidence to support its use in dementia is risperidone. Each one has slightly different effects on the brain and has its own potential risks and side effects. There are several antipsychotic drugs that may be used. What antipsychotic drugs may be prescribed for a person with dementia? This is usually an old-age psychiatrist, geriatrician or GP with a special interest in dementia. The first prescription of an antipsychotic should only be done by a specialist doctor. However, they also have serious risks and side effects, which the doctor must consider when deciding whether to prescribe them. They tend to be used only as a last resort, such as when the person, or those around them, are at immediate risk of harm.įor some people, antipsychotics can help to reduce the frequency or intensity of these changes. To find out more read our information on drug treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.Īntipsychotic drugs What are antipsychotic drugs?Īntipsychotic drugs are used to treat people who are experiencing severe agitation, aggression or distress from psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions.

It should not be prescribed if the person has vascular dementia. Memantine is sometimes prescribed to reduce levels of aggression or psychosis and has fewer risks and side effects than antipsychotic drugs. This tends to be used in addition to an AChE inhibitor as dementia progresses. However, they are rarely prescribed specifically for these purposes because most people with these types of dementia will already be taking them anyway.Īnother drug used to treat problems with memory and thinking is memantine.

They may also help to reduce hallucinations and delusions in people with Lewy body dementia. There is some evidence that these drugs may also slightly reduce agitation in people with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s disease. They are normally prescribed soon after diagnosis and continued throughout the course of the person’s dementia. They are routinely offered to people with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, Parkinson’s disease dementia, or any mixed dementia that includes one of these types (for example, Alzheimer’s disease with vascular dementia). The main type of drugs used to treat problems with memory and thinking are acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors.ĪChE inhibitors include donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine.