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In 2005, the FDA warned of increased mortality — mostly from pneumonia — among older patients with dementia who were being treated with atypical antipsychotic drugs (e.g., clozapine, risperidone). In 2008, that warning was extended to include conventional antipsychotics as well (butyrophenones and phenothiazines). Since then, the possibility of an association between antipsychotic drug use and pneumonia has been evaluated in several epidemiologic investigations, with conflicting results.
In the latest such study, researchers used a national Dutch database to identify individuals who received their first antipsychotic drug prescription at age ≥65. Of the 2263 persons identified, 88% received conventional antipsychotics, 11% received atypical …