
One report to the FDA told the story of an 86-year-old Alzheimer’s patient’s rapid decline and subsequent death after taking Nuedexta.
101 cases of dizziness, confusion, and falls. The reports have listed the following events: Voluntary reports sent to the FDA by caregivers have indicated that Nuedexta potentially causes a number of side effects and actual harm to the patient. Avanir conducted only one double-blind study, with 194 Alzheimer’s patients, and discovered that those taking Nuedexta suffered from falls at greater than twice the rate of those taking the placebo. In fact, the drug has not been well-studied for use in the elderly. The clinical trials required for FDA approval were done only with MS or ALS sufferers, and not those with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia disorders. But doctors who specialize in treating the elderly and dementia researchers say that PBA is actually quite rare in dementia patients, affecting at most 5 percent of them. Drugs cost less than extra staff.Īn Avanir website claims PBA is a problem for 40 percent of dementia patients. When a drug is used, patients are quieter and the cost to the nursing home is much smaller, because Medicare Part D picks up some of the costs. Previously, the solution was either to hire more staff or choose not to provide sufficient care for the patient. Patients with dementia often need additional hours of nursing care. Why Use Nuedexta?īecause Nuedexta has a psychotropic effect, nursing homes find it useful to control certain behaviors of those with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia disorders. Persons diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, can suffer from PBA, which is found in less than one percent of the U.S.
When you combine the two, the result is a drug that is effective in combating pseudobulbar affect (PBA), characterized by uncontrollable crying or laughing.
Quinidine is less commonly taken doctors prescribe it to treat certain types of heart arrhythmias (irregular beats) and, in some cases, malaria. If you’ve ever taken over-the-counter cough syrup, you’ve likely taken dextromethorphan, a cough suppressant. Nuedexta combines two old, well-known drugs: dextromethorphan and quinidine. Nursing homes often call it “The Little Red Pill.” Some doctors appear to be illegally profiting from Nuedexta, and tax dollars are frequently paying for it. The medication is Nuedexta from Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. A new pill with old ingredients is being pushed to nursing homes and their patients, despite documented reports of side effects ranging from dizziness and falls to death.