News Report | August 26, 2020
Half Of Community-Dwelling Medicare Beneficiaries With Dementia Filled Prescriptions For Medications Associated With Adverse Effects
About half (49.8%) of community-dwelling Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries diagnosed with dementia also filled a prescription for an antidepressant between October 1, 2014 and September 30, 2015. During the same period, about 29.8% filled a prescription for an opioid; about 26.8% filled a prescription for an anti-anxiety medication; and 21.9% filled a prescription for an anti-epileptic (such as gabapentin). About 21.6% filled a prescription for an antipsychotic. None of these medications are approved in the United States to treat dementia or its behavioral symptoms; all are associated with adverse events . . .