Lesley Clement from elderabuseadvocates.com reports on the drug haloperidol, its side effects, and the drug’s absence from being used in skilled nursing facilities.
Haloperidol: Side Effects, Dosage, Uses, and More
Clement writes that haloperidol is a drug commonly utilized to treat mental disorders that affect a person’s nerves and emotional state. This drug acts as a depressant, so increased drowsiness will occur if you mix it with alcohol or other depressant drugs (e.g. allergy, cold, and sleeping medications). As always when taking a new medication, it is important to talk to your doctor to see if it will interfere with any of the current medications you are taking as well as the potential side effects that could occur. Haloperidol may cause dizziness, confusion, lightheadedness, and/or drowsiness. Additionally, haloperidol could potentially cause tardive dyskinesia, so be alert for symptoms of puffy cheeks, weird tongue movements as well as not having control of one’s limbs. If you are taking this medication, it is wise to avoid driving a vehicle or operating dangerous machinery. It is also important to mention that haloperidol overdoses can occur. If you experience severe dizziness, muscle shaking, or drowsiness, call 9-1-1 and your doctor.
Haloperidol and Skilled Nursing Facilities
Due to the side effects associated with haloperidol elderly individuals suffering from dementia are not to be treated with this medication. Furthermore, Clement writes that the side effects of haloperidol pose a great enough risk to elderly individuals that this medication is not administered to residents in skilled nursing facilities. It is extremely important that not only be informed of the medications being administered to them but also to inform the family members of residents. Proper administration of medication is crucial to the overall health and well-being of residents and plays a major role in residents receiving the highest quality of care.
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