Letters15 March 1996Drug Use in the Nursing HomeJerry Avorn, MD and Jerry H. Gurwitz, MDJerry Avorn, MDBrigham and Women's Hospital; Boston, MA 02115Search for more papers by this author and Jerry H. Gurwitz, MDBrigham and Women's Hospital; Boston, MA 02115Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-124-6-199603150-00026 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail IN RESPONSE:Drs. Tolle and Bascom raise some important points, with which we generally agree. We have no reason to believe that Alzheimer disease reduces the pain of osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, or any other condition in the elderly, and it certainly can increase the likelihood of several pain-producing conditions ranging from fecal impaction and urinary retention to decubitus ulcers. Furthermore, just as dementia does not blunt pain, sedatives and tranquilizers do not adequately treat pain. Closer attention to the underlying cause of “agitation” in the elderly often reveals that its cause is untreated pain, for which an analgesic is likely ... Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Jerry Avorn, MD; Jerry H. Gurwitz, MDAffiliations: Brigham and Women's Hospital; Boston, MA 02115 PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics 15 March 1996Volume 124, Issue 6Page: 616KeywordsAnalgesicsAntipsychoticsDrugsElderlyNursing homesOpioidsOsteoarthritisSedativesStenosisUlcers ePublished: 15 August 2000 Issue Published: 15 March 1996 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 1996 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...