3,300 fewer falls if some Sask. seniors taken off antipsychotic drugs: report
Taking Saskatchewan seniors who have dementia off antipsychotic drugs could save the health care system millions of dollars and prevent thousands of falls, a new study suggests.
Previous research has shown that nearly one in three dementia patients in Saskatchewan is on an antipsychotic — despite having no diagnosis requiring the drug.
Now, the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement has studied seniors who are taken off those drugs.
Stephen Samis, vice president of programming with the foundation, said without the antipsychotics, patients had fewer falls and were less abusive towards others.
The study of 56 long-care facilities in 2014 and 2015 found that when antipsychotics were discontinued or significantly reduced:
- Falls decreased by 20 per cent.
- Verbally abusive behaviour decreased by 33 per cent.
- Physically abusive behaviour decreased by 28 per cent.
- Socially inappropriate behaviour decreased by 26 per cent.
- Resistance to care decreased by 22 per cent.
"The behaviours that these drugs are supposedly managing actually got better when you took people off of them," Samis said.
Across Canada, about 28 per cent of seniors living with dementia who do not have a diagnosis of psychosis are estimated to be on these medications, he said.
$6M in potential savings
The foundation has done some number-crunching about how eliminating the drugs could improve the lives of patients.
In this province, even modest reductions could pay substantial dividends, he said.
"In Saskatchewan, [the prescription rate is] about 31 per cent, so it's higher than the national average," Samis said.
If Saskatchewan reduced its prescription rate to the national average, it's estimated that over five years, there would be 3,300 fewer falls and savings to the health-care system totalling $6 million, he said.
"We would save a significant amount of money in Saskatchewan and a large number of falls," he said.
Alternatives to drugs
The foundation found that long-term care facilities that commit to learning more about the interests of people with dementia — whether it be gardening, music or something else — could help those people get off antipsychotic drugs.
"You begin to reintroduce those things that the resident really likes and enjoys and then you can gradually wean the residents off of these medications," Samis said.
Among the long-term care facilities participating in the recent study was the Santa Maria Senior Citizens Centre in Regina.
The Santa Maria home found improvements in behavior similar to the national results when patients were taken off medications they didn't need, Samis said.
