With up to a third of Alzheimer's disease sufferers developing psychotic symptoms in the course of the disease, use of the drug Risperidone has been found to effectively counter aggressive and delusional behavior among such patients. This is particularly important because such behavior can force a familiy to place a loved one in a nursing home.
Dr. Ira Katz told a psychiatrists' symposium in Hawaii that the drug, originally developed to treat schizophrenia, may lead to a reduction of attacks on health care workers and relatives by Alzheimer's patients.
Katz said a study funded by drug manufacturer Janssen Pharmaceutic found that daily Risperidone use among 625 patients led to a significant reduction in behavior problems among 36 percent of those treated.
A key benefit may be to help Alzheimer's patients remain at home. A study indicated that if the drug helps patients remain calm among relatives, the patients would be less likely be admitted to a nursing home.
