Trazodone, a serotonin antagonist and reuptake inhibitor with sedative effects at low doses, has emerged as a potentially safer alternative to atypical antipsychotic medications for managing delirium-related symptoms in older adults, yet its comparative safety outcomes remain uncertain. To address this gap, a study evaluated rehospitalisation, cause-specific rehospitalisation, and all-cause mortality among older adults prescribed trazodone versus atypical antipsychotic medications after hospital discharge.
The study found that, compared with antipsychotic medications, trazodone was associated with lower risks of rehospitalisation (subdistribution hazard ratio (SDHR) 0.95), rehospitalisation for delirium (SDHR 0.80), urinary tract infection (SDHR 0.84), and all-cause mortality (HR 0.84), while no significant differences were observed for falls (SDHR 0.93), pneumonia (SDHR 0.96), or…
