Pharmacy key to reducing antipsychotics in dementia

摘要

PHARMACY is identified as one of eight key professional groups by the Dementia Action Alliance and the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement in their "call to action" on the use of antipsychotic drugs for people with dementia.This follows continuing and widespread concern about the over-prescribing of antipsychotics for the condition.The Department of Health's 2009 report on the prescribing on antipsychotic drugs to people with dementia (the Banerjee report), estimated there are 180,000 people with dementia who are currently prescribed antipsychotics and that two thirds of this prescribing is unnecessary (PJ 2009;283:558.Pharmacists can make a vital contribution by working with patients, carers, health and social care teams to reduce inappropriate use of antipsychotics for dementia.