Gulmann N C
Gerontopsykiatrisk afd D, Arhus Universitets Hospital, Risskov.
Nord Med. 1993;108(10):266-70.
Psychotropics are to a great extent used in nursing homes to sedate and incapacitate the residents for social reasons. The very high prescription rate also reflects gerontophobic and dementophobic myths placing the old and disturbing patient beyond general accepted ethical rules. The problem is highlighted by the new Danish law concerning the uncurable ill patient. Under certain conditions it is now legal not to treat demented people for a life threatening but treatable physical illness. The boundaries between active and passive euthanasia seem more and more blurred concerning old demented patients.
在养老院中，出于社会原因，精神药物在很大程度上被用于使居民镇静并使其丧失行为能力。极高的处方率还反映出对老年人和痴呆症患者的恐惧观念，将年老且令人不安的患者置于普遍接受的道德规则之外。丹麦一项关于无法治愈的患者的新法律凸显了这一问题。在某些情况下，现在不对患有危及生命但可治疗的身体疾病的痴呆患者进行治疗是合法的。对于老年痴呆患者，主动安乐死和被动安乐死之间的界限似乎越来越模糊。
