Elderly people with dementia are dying prematurely in care homes because of being prescribed 'chemical coshes'.

Drugs 'kill 23,000 Alzheimer's victims a year'

Extracts from the Telegraph:

"More than 23,000 elderly people with Alzheimer's could be dying prematurely in care homes each year after being given drugs to keep them quiet, a report claims today.

Anti-psychotic drugs, which are not licensed to treat dementia but are prescribed to control agitation, sleep disturbance and aggression, are being given to 100,000 elderly people to keep them "quiet and manageable", says a report by Paul Burstow, the Liberal Democrat MP and a campaigner for the rights of elderly people.

Despite studies that show the drugs can increase the risk of strokes and have other harmful side effects, the report claims the Government has failed to act to stem their use.

The report comes as research by three universities says long-term use of anti-psychotics offers "no long-term benefit for most patients".

The claims in the report will fuel the debate over the use of powerful drugs, dubbed "chemical coshes" because of their strong sedative effect, on care home residents."

"Mr Burstow said: "There are around 244,000 people with dementia living in care homes, and the Alzheimer's Society estimates 100,000 are being given anti-psychotic drugs. Of those, I am saying that 23.5 per cent could be dying prematurely as a result of being prescribed anti-psychotic drugs - or 23,500 people a year."

Neil Hunt, of the Alzheimer's Society, said: "The over-prescription of anti-psychotic drugs to people with dementia is a serious abuse of human rights. Anti-psychotics should be used as a last resort."

Mr Burstow's report, which will be debated in the Commons today, calls for urgent police action and a ban on routine prescribing."

In my opinion, doctors who are doing this cruel and harmful prescribing should be sent to prison.

You can lower your risk of vascular dementia and many other illnesses by eating less salt/sodium.

See Sodium in foods and

Associated health conditions

UK Dementia timebomb 'will hit 1.2m' by 2028

Dementia timebomb 'will hit 1.2m'

Extracts from the Sunday Telegraph:

"The number of patients diagnosed with diseases such as Alzheimer's will rise by 70 per cent to more than 1.2 million by 2028.

Experts warn that there will be almost twice as many sufferers living in nursing homes. However, psychiatrists and charities say that not enough is being spent on research, treatment and care. One professor said he was "ashamed" by the state of the services on offer.

Dementia robs victims of their identities as memory, speech and understanding are lost."

"In November a report by the Alzheimer's Society said that many patients suffered physical and mental neglect. Many residents were left alone in their bedrooms, while ­others were shouted at, or left unwashed, the investigation said.

Neil Hunt, the chief executive of the society, said the predictions showed the urgent need for a significant increase in services and research. "We know that delaying the onset of dementia by five years would halve the number of deaths from Alzheimer's. If we are to defeat dementia it is vital we invest in more research," he said."

Well vascular dementia could easily be reduced by curbing the reckless over-prescribing of drugs like steroids and anti-depressants which cause vascular damage, salt sensitivity, fluid retention and obesity. Similarly there should be a legal limit of the proportion of salt/sodium food manufacturers are allowed to add to their processed foods and ready meals: - certainly no more than 0.5g sodium to 100g of product. And they should, by law, HAVE to produce some processed foods/ready meals and bread with NO ADDED SALT WHATEVER for the people damaged and disabled by salt sensitivity. People should be told the truth about salt. - Our bodies do not require ANY added salt whatsoever, because we only need a tiny proportion of salt and that is already present in all food and in every drop of water. (Of course if you are taking prescription drugs they may have damaged your body chemistry and so you may need extra sodium/salt because of the wretched drugs.)

And dieting advice should be prohibited. - Dieting is unnecessary, ineffectual, counter-productive and harmful because it results in inadequate nutrition. All that is necessary to reduce excess weight is to avoid eating salt and salty food.

Lose weight, reduce your risk of most cancers, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, vascular dementia, osteopenia, osteoporosis, hypercholesterolaemia, depression, liver and kidney problems, and improve your health in many other ways without drugs or expense by eating less salt! - Try it! - You will feel so much better!

See my website http://www.wildeaboutsteroids.co.uk/.html (The site does not sell anything and has no banners or sponsors or adverts - just helpful information.)

Read my Mensa article on Obesity and the Salt Connection

See Sodium in foods and

Associated health conditions and

See FAT RETENTION