title: Experience with the atypical antipsychotics--risperidone and olanzapine in the elderly.
abstract: There is paucity of published data regarding controlled trials with risperidone and olanzapine in elderly psychotic patients. Medical records of 151 hospitalized geropsychiatric patients (risperidone patients n = 114 and olanzapine patients n = 37) were analyzed for demographic data, target symptoms, doses, effects, side effects, comorbid medical conditions and concurrent medications. The mean age of the patients was 71 years. The male: female ratio was essentially the same for both groups. The mean daily dose was 3 mg for risperidone and 10 mg for olanzapine. 78% of the risperidone group and 75% of the olanzapine group appear to have responded to treatment. The discontinuation rates of medication was the same in both groups (22%). Adverse events were reported in 16-17% in both groups. It appears from this study that both risperidone and olanzapine are relatively safe and effective in geropsychiatric patients with comorbid medical illnesses. Controlled studies and head-to-head comparison studies are recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, St. John's Episcopal Hospital, Far Rockaway, New York 11691, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Madhusoodanan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Suresh
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brenner
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pillai
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005852:Geriatric Psychiatry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077152:Olanzapine; D010890:Pirenzepine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018967:Risperidone / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D010890:Pirenzepine; D018967:Risperidone; D000077152:Olanzapine