Pharmacological Treatment of Dementia
- Author:
Lim Wee Shiong
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
palliation, chronic disease, cholinesterase inhibitors, NMDA antagonists, side effects
- From:The Singapore Family Physician
2013;39(2 (Supplement)):21-26
- CountrySingapore
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Pharmacotherapy is a vital part of the multi-pronged strategy in dementia management. All dementia patients should be evaluated for suitability of pharmacological strategies to address the underlying disease, enhance cognitive symptomatology, and treat attendant behavioural complications. Once a definitive diagnosis of dementia has been made, the choice of symptomatic treatment hinges mainly on dementia etiology and stage of severity. While skillful use of symptomatic treatment can offer tangible but modest benefits in many cases, the decision to initiate such costly treatment should be individualised and always made in conjunction with the patient and caregiver. Disease-modifying treatment which goes beyond a primary symptomatic effect to target the underlying amyloid and tau pathways are currently undergoing clinical trials.
