I think I should stop posting and just wait for comments. It seems like a quiet period in the world of atypicals. In case you've missed them, natalie and stephany have been asking so interesting questions in the comment section. Join us there!
OK, OK, one brief comment on the use of atypicals in elder care facilities. I think it's pretty unethical to be basically sedating non-psychotic grandmothers simply because the nursing staff doesn't want to come up with behavioral alternatives or are too understaffed to properly care for their patients. If sales reps are hitting up these places, they should turn in their tchotchkes.
Happy new year to all 2 of my readers :-)
Saturday, December 29, 2007
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Um, no thanks Ben.
Just got back to reading here!
You completely missed the point about rx'ing Seroquel, etc to elderly patients: black box warning, not for use in elderly or patients with dementia. Clearly, any place that does rx atypicals to elderly patients, in my opinion are flat out criminals and should be stopped.
All retirement/care/nursing facilities should be monitored by the FDA or some watchdog group, [because the FDA is worthless]due to the fact that these meds should be against the law for use in these patients.
Not to mention that the atypicals are being abused to quiet down little kids and patients inside psych wards as well.
Basically, chemical restraints.
Stephany,
I think we're making the same point. I know of the black box warning, but it's only for patients with dementia. Many of the articles I read on this suggested it was being used for elderly patients without dementia, which would be on-label. However, it still would be unethical seeing it's simply being used as "chemical restraint" as you correctly called it. It's just wrong. To your point about use in children, I agree it's out of control. Risperdal use in the under 18 population is off the charts. I can remember so many kids on it. And now with the over-diagnosis of bipolar in this age group, I expect it will only get worse.
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