Antipsychotic prescribing to people with dementia during COVID-19 (November 2019)

Summary

Antipsychotic drugs are used to treat agitation, aggression, and psychosis in dementia when alternative strategies have failed. Their use has been reduced because of concerns about safety and limited efficacy. Drawing on data that the NHS publishes on a monthly basis on patients registered with a dementia diagnosis in England, this article considers evidence of an increase in antipsychotic prescribing to people with dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic.