Abstract
Behavioral symptoms such as repetitive speech, wandering, and sleep disturbances are a core clinical feature of Alzheimer disease and related dementias. If untreated, these behavior scan accelerate disease progression, worsen functional decline and quality of life, cause significant caregiver distress, andresult in earlier nursing home placement. Systematic screening for behavioral symptoms in dementia is an important prevention strategy that facilitates early treatment of behavioral symptoms by identifying underlying causes and tailoring a treatment plan. First-line nonpharmacologic treatments are recommended because available pharmacologic treatments are only modestly effective, have notable risks, and do not effectively treat some of the behaviors that family members and caregivers find most distressing. Examples of nonpharmacologic treatments include provision of caregiver education and support, training in problem solving, and targeted therapy directed at the underlying causes for specific behaviors (eg, implementing nighttime routines to address sleep disturbances). Based on an actual case,we characterize common behavioral symptoms and describe a strategy for selecting evidence-based nonpharmacologic dementia treatments. Nonpharmacologic management of behavioral symptoms in dementia can significantly improve quality of life and patient-caregiver satisfaction.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 2020-2029 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association |
| Volume | 308 |
| Issue number | 19 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Nov 21 2012 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine(all)
Cite this
Nonpharmacologic management of behavioral symptoms in dementia. / Gitlin, Laura N.; Kales, Helen C.; Lyketsos, Constantine G.
In: JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 308, No. 19, 21.11.2012, p. 2020-2029.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Nonpharmacologic management of behavioral symptoms in dementia
AU - Gitlin, Laura N.
AU - Kales, Helen C.
AU - Lyketsos, Constantine G.
PY - 2012/11/21
Y1 - 2012/11/21
N2 - Behavioral symptoms such as repetitive speech, wandering, and sleep disturbances are a core clinical feature of Alzheimer disease and related dementias. If untreated, these behavior scan accelerate disease progression, worsen functional decline and quality of life, cause significant caregiver distress, andresult in earlier nursing home placement. Systematic screening for behavioral symptoms in dementia is an important prevention strategy that facilitates early treatment of behavioral symptoms by identifying underlying causes and tailoring a treatment plan. First-line nonpharmacologic treatments are recommended because available pharmacologic treatments are only modestly effective, have notable risks, and do not effectively treat some of the behaviors that family members and caregivers find most distressing. Examples of nonpharmacologic treatments include provision of caregiver education and support, training in problem solving, and targeted therapy directed at the underlying causes for specific behaviors (eg, implementing nighttime routines to address sleep disturbances). Based on an actual case,we characterize common behavioral symptoms and describe a strategy for selecting evidence-based nonpharmacologic dementia treatments. Nonpharmacologic management of behavioral symptoms in dementia can significantly improve quality of life and patient-caregiver satisfaction.
AB - Behavioral symptoms such as repetitive speech, wandering, and sleep disturbances are a core clinical feature of Alzheimer disease and related dementias. If untreated, these behavior scan accelerate disease progression, worsen functional decline and quality of life, cause significant caregiver distress, andresult in earlier nursing home placement. Systematic screening for behavioral symptoms in dementia is an important prevention strategy that facilitates early treatment of behavioral symptoms by identifying underlying causes and tailoring a treatment plan. First-line nonpharmacologic treatments are recommended because available pharmacologic treatments are only modestly effective, have notable risks, and do not effectively treat some of the behaviors that family members and caregivers find most distressing. Examples of nonpharmacologic treatments include provision of caregiver education and support, training in problem solving, and targeted therapy directed at the underlying causes for specific behaviors (eg, implementing nighttime routines to address sleep disturbances). Based on an actual case,we characterize common behavioral symptoms and describe a strategy for selecting evidence-based nonpharmacologic dementia treatments. Nonpharmacologic management of behavioral symptoms in dementia can significantly improve quality of life and patient-caregiver satisfaction.
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U2 - 10.1001/jama.2012.36918
DO - 10.1001/jama.2012.36918
M3 - Article
C2 - 23168825
AN - SCOPUS:84869161573
VL - 308
SP - 2020
EP - 2029
JO - JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association
JF - JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association
SN - 0002-9955
IS - 19
ER -