Dementia Patient Given Inappropriate Medication

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am writing to thank you from the bottom of my heart for writing the article about Seroquel being risky for elderly patients.

My wife is 82 years old and has had dementia for many years. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and given many different medications to try but nothing worked. When she started getting worse her physician prescribed Seroquel.
About four or five weeks into taking the medication, she became really confused. She would wake up at night and want to go home without realizing that she already was home. It scared me so much that I was afraid to go to sleep in case I didn’t hear her get up.

After reading your column, I took my wife off the Seroquel and noticed a dramatic change within a week. [Read more...]

Drug Not Recommended For The Elderly

DEAR DR. GOTT:
Please give your opinion on Seroquel being prescribed to a patient with dementia. I’ve heard it is a dangerous drug when given to the elderly as it can cause death.

Also, should this drug be given long term?

DEAR READER:
Seroquel is an anti-psychotic medication used to treat conditions such as bipolar disorder. It is not approved for behavioral problems related to dementia. Black box warnings for elderly patients with a dementia-related psychosis indicate an increased risk of serious side effects, including pneumonia, heart attack, stroke, and death.

The product is available in doses from 25 to 300 mg tablets or capsules by prescription only. When the drug is prescribed for the elderly, the recommended initial dose is 25 mg daily. [Read more...]