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What Causes Sleeping Difficulty And Slight Dementia While On Lorazepam?
Question: I just typed in several medications that my 85 year old Mother-in-law has been prescribed. She cannot sleep, she does not have Alzheimer, slight dementia... Can you see the drug list I just saved....????
Brief Answer:
benzodiazepines and other drugs are usually effective
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
a good sleep is sometimes difficult to achieve at such an advanced age. Old people sleep only for a few hours every day (or night). If the sleeping difficulty cannot be attributed to some temporary reason (pain for example) then the situation can get even more difficult.
Benzodiazepines (like lorazepam, alprazolam or bromazepam) are usually good as a temporary solution but they cause addiction and may impair the patient's balance, causing falls and accidents. In more advanced dementia cases antipsychotic drugs are used because they calm the patient and induce sleep. Aloperidin is an example of such a drug. The hallucinations you've noted are an indication for antipsychotic medications.
Before using any additional drugs, you should consult your doctor. She's taking a lot of drugs and only your doctor has examined her and knows her condition in detail.
I hope you find my comments helpful!
You can contact me again, if you'd like any clarification or further information.
Kind Regards!
benzodiazepines and other drugs are usually effective
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
a good sleep is sometimes difficult to achieve at such an advanced age. Old people sleep only for a few hours every day (or night). If the sleeping difficulty cannot be attributed to some temporary reason (pain for example) then the situation can get even more difficult.
Benzodiazepines (like lorazepam, alprazolam or bromazepam) are usually good as a temporary solution but they cause addiction and may impair the patient's balance, causing falls and accidents. In more advanced dementia cases antipsychotic drugs are used because they calm the patient and induce sleep. Aloperidin is an example of such a drug. The hallucinations you've noted are an indication for antipsychotic medications.
Before using any additional drugs, you should consult your doctor. She's taking a lot of drugs and only your doctor has examined her and knows her condition in detail.
I hope you find my comments helpful!
You can contact me again, if you'd like any clarification or further information.
Kind Regards!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
She is hyper-sensitive to benzodiazepines drugs, her primary physician has tried these type of drugs. My concern is that some of the hallucinations may be a result from her kidneys which may not be able to process the chemicals she is taking. Yes I have discussed this with her PP, but it is always hard when a patient has 5 different specialist treating them...
Brief Answer:
it's only antipsychotics then...
Detailed Answer:
If she can't tolerate the benzodiazepines (they may cause agitation and other side effects in old individuals) then I can't see any other solution than the antipsychotics... They can impair her functionality though, so careful adjustment of the dosage is required by her doctor.
Kind Regards!
it's only antipsychotics then...
Detailed Answer:
If she can't tolerate the benzodiazepines (they may cause agitation and other side effects in old individuals) then I can't see any other solution than the antipsychotics... They can impair her functionality though, so careful adjustment of the dosage is required by her doctor.
Kind Regards!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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