A new study published in Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy found that nursing home residents with dementia who discontinued long-term antipsychotic medications experienced lower rates of hospitalization than similar residents who continued taking the medications.

Researchers analyzed Medicare claims and Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments from 2013 to 2022, comparing residents who had received antipsychotic medications for more than 90 days and later discontinued them with matched residents who continued taking them.

Compared with continued use, discontinuation was associated with:

• 17% lower risk of all-cause hospitalization
• 49% lower risk of hospitalization for pneumonia
• 53% lower risk of hospitalization for urinary tract infections

The largest reduction in hospitalization risk was observed among residents with moderate-to-severe dementia, who were 22% less likely to be hospitalized than those who continued long-term antipsychotic therapy.

The study represents one of the largest analyses to date of antipsychotic discontinuation among nursing home residents with dementia. While the findings are based on observational data and do not establish cause and effect, they add to the growing body of evidence supporting regular evaluation of long-term antipsychotic use and individualized clinical decision-making.