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Differentiating Behavioral Disturbances of Dementia From Drug Side Effects

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 January 2005

John H. Eastham  and
Dilip V. Jeste
John H. Eastham
Affiliation:
University of California, San Diego, California, U.S.A. Geriatric Psychiatry Clinical Research Center, VA Medical Center, San Diego, California, U.S.A.
Dilip V. Jeste
Affiliation:
University of California, San Diego, California, U.S.A. Geriatric Psychiatry Clinical Research Center, VA Medical Center, San Diego, California, U.S.A.
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Extract

Patients with dementia may be treated with several drugs because of comorbid conditions or symptoms related to the dementia itself. Such drug treatment can complicate patient management because many drugs may cause side effects, such as depression and Parkinsonism, that also are considered behavioral disturbances of dementia. Distinguishing between drug side effects and behavioral problems is difficult but necessary for several reasons. Attributing the behavioral disturbance to an incorrect cause can affect the type of treatment selected and the patient's response to it. It also can increase the overall cost of care and adversely affect the patient's quality of life. Making this distinction has theoretical importance as well, including the development of new drugs that have fewer behavioral side effects.

Type
Clinical Perspectives: What Should We Be Studying?
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 8 , Issue S3 , May 1997 , pp. 429 - 434
Copyright
© 1996 International Psychogeriatric Association

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