Antipsychotic drugs are associated with increased risk of head and brain injuries among community-dwelling persons with Alzheimer’s disease
The use of antipsychotics is associated with increased risks of head and brain injuries among persons with Alzheimer’s disease, according to a recent study from the University of Eastern Finland. The risk increase was highest at the initiation of antipsychotic use. The results were published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS). “As adverse effects, antipsychotics may cause sedation, orthostatic hypotension, and arrhythmias which all may lead to falls. Among older persons, falls are the most common reason for traumatic brain injuries,” Researcher Vesa Tapiainen from