Suicide in two patients with a diagnosis of probable Alzheimer disease.
Two patients meeting the criteria for probable Alzheimer disease (AD) who were participating in a phase 3 clinical program with eptastigmine, a cholinesterase inhibitor, committed suicide. The first patient committed suicide by a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The second patient committed suicide by jumping from a 19th story window. These two patients shared several clinical features with those found in the literature: being at the early stages of the disease, having a high level education, with preserved insight, having access to firearms, and being aware of not responding to pharmacological treatment.
Ferris
S H
SH
Silberstein Aging and Dementia Research Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA.
Hofeldt
G T
GT
Carbone
G
G
Masciandaro
P
P
Troetel
W M
WM
Imbimbo
B P
BP
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D018450:Disease Progression; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D017211:Treatment Failure