MedPage Today (5/2, Fiore) reports the American Psychiatric Association has issued a new guideline recommending that “physicians…be judicious about their use of antipsychotics to treat agitation or psychosis in patients with dementia,” giving “a level 1B recommendation that these drugs should only be used if a dementia patient’s symptoms are severe, dangerous, or cause them significant distress.” In a statement, APA president Renee Binder, MD, said, “A decision should be made only after thorough assessment and review of potential benefits and harms of antipsychotic treatment as well as other possible treatment options.” The new guideline was published online in the American Journal of Psychiatry.
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— “APA Urges Cautious Use of Antipsychotics in Dementia,” Kristina Fiore , MedPage Today, May 2, 2016.