Medication

New Zealand Dementia Foundation > Research Radar > Medication
Anti-Dementia Medication Use in Aotearoa New Zealand: An Exploratory Study Using Health Data From the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI).


Chan Amy, Hikaka Joanna, To E, et al. (2023). 
Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 57(6):895-903.

This was a retrospective, population-based descriptive study of funded anti-dementia medication use in Aotearoa New Zealand and how this differs by ethnicity, age, and sex.

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Determinants of Prescribing Potentially Inappropriate Medications in a Nationwide Cohort of Community Dwellers With Dementia Receiving a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment.


Bala, S. S., Jamieson, H. A., & Nishtala, P. S. (2019). 
International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 34(1), 153-161.

This study identified the prevalence and predictors of prescribing potentially inappropriate medications in a New Zealand-wide cohort of community dwellers with dementia requiring complex care needs using data from the InterRAI assessment.  Potentially inappropriate medications were prescribed frequently in older adults with dementia.

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Donepezil Adherence, Persistence and Time to First Discontinuation in a Three-Year Follow-Up of Older People.


Ndukwe, H. C., & Nishtala, P. S. (2015). 
Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders Extra, 5(3), 482-491.

The aim was to examine and measure adherence to, persistence with, and time to first discontinuation of donepezil in older New Zealanders. Non-adherent new donepezil users discontinued sooner than the adherent group. The time to first discontinuation in this study was higher compared to discontinuation rates observed in clinical trials.

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Memantine and Functional Communication in Alzheimer’s Disease: Results of a 12-Week, International, Randomised Clinical Trial.


Saxton, J., Hofbauer, R. K., Woodward, M., Gilchrist, N. L., Potocnik, F., Hsu, H-A., et al. (2012). 
Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 28(1), 109-118.

This 12-week international RCT (including 3 patients from New Zealand) of memantine found that, for people with moderate Alzheimer’s disease, memantine treatment improved functional communication, as recognised by caregivers. 

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Quetiapine for the Treatment of Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD): A Meta-Analysis of Randomised Placebo-Controlled Trials. 


Cheung, G., & Stapelberg, J. (2011).
The New Zealand Medical Journal, 124(1336), 39-50.

A meta-analysis across studies found that quetiapine was statistically more effective than placebo for the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, but the improvements were small and their clinical significance was questionable.

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Antipsychotic and Sedative Medication Use in Long-Term Care Facilities Providing Dementia Care.


Ma’u E, Burton J, Fussell E. (2021).
New Zealand Medical Journal. 2021 Jun 25;134(1537):56-65. 

This study, led by Etuini M’au, reports a concerning rate of antipsychotic and sedative medication use in long-term care facilities providing dementia care in the Waikato.

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Improvements in the Prescribing of Antipsychotics in Dementia and Psychogeriatric Units in New Zealand.


Tordoff, J. M., Ailabouni, N. J., Browne, D. P., Al-Sallami, H. S., & Gray, A. R. (2016). 
International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy, 38(4), 941-949.

This audit showed that following a range of interventions, antipsychotic prescribing, administration and some related documentation improved in dementia and psychogeriatric units in New Zealand.

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Is Psychotropic Medication Use Related to Organisational and Treatment Culture in Residential Care?


Peri, K., Kerse, N., Moyes, S., Scahill, S., Chen, C., Hong, J. B., & Hughes, C. M. (2015). 
Journal of Health Organisation and Management, 29(7), 1065-1079.

The purpose of this paper is to establish a relationship between organisational culture, as measured by a survey, and psychotropic medication use in residential care in Auckland. Hierarchical organisational culture type was independently associated with psychotropic medication use.

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A Survey of Australian and New Zealand Old Age Psychiatrists’ Preferred Medications To Treat Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD).


Greve, M., & O’Connor, D. (2005). 
International Psychogeriatrics / IPA, 17(2), 195-205.

A brief survey was posted to a random sample of members of the Australian and New Zealand Faculty of Psychiatry of Old Age. Atypical neuroleptics were preferred by most respondents for treatment of most ‘behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia’. These views, while based on considerable clinical experience, have limited support in published reports.

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Dementia With Lewy Bodies Treated With Rivastigmine: Effects on Cognition, Neuropsychiatric Symptoms and Sleep.


Maclean, L. E., Collins. C., & Byrne E. J. (2001). 
International Psychogeriatrics, 13(3), 277-288.

This study describes eight patients fulfilling the consensus diagnostic criteria for probable Dementia with Lewy bodies who were treated with rivastigmine. Seven patients showed improvement in cognition and neuropsychiatric symptoms.

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