Commonly used drugs: Antidepressants often used in older people with dementia include: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants: Citalopram, escitalopram, and sertraline (brand names Celexa, Lexapro, and Zoloft, respectively) are often used.
Several medications, including lorazepam and oxazepam, can help treat anxiety in people with dementia. These drugs are examples of benzodiazepines. A person should take the medications as a doctor prescribes and speak with a healthcare professional if they experience any adverse effects.
Anticonvulsant mood stabilizers have long been used to treat agitation, mood lability, aggression, disinhibition, and manic-like symptoms in dementia patients. Of these, valproic acid formulations (such as divalproex) are by far the most widely utilized; they have shown promise in several small trials.
Lecanemab is a disease modifying immunotherapy drug. It works with the body's immune system to clear amyloid protein build up from the brains of people living with early-stage Alzheimer's disease.
Music offers a powerful way of providing comfort to people. Music can both soothe and stimulate people. It can elicit powerful emotional responses and also help people reconnect with memories. Nostalgia can also be a great way to help your loved one connect with their past if they are living with dementia.
A person with dementia can experience an increase in cravings for sugary foods.
I'm going to discuss five of the most basic ones here: 1) Don't tell them they are wrong about something, 2) Don't argue with them, 3) Don't ask if they remember something, 4) Don't remind them that their spouse, parent or other loved one is dead, and 5) Don't bring up topics that may upset them.
Lecanemab was fully approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a treatment for early Alzheimer's disease in July 2023. This means that it can now be given to patients with early Alzheimer's disease in the USA. The drug is being marketed under the name Leqembi.
Cholinisterase Inhibitors are the most commonly prescribed medications for dementia. There are 3 cholinisterase inhibitors, which include, Donepezil, Galantamine and Rivastigmine.
Summary: Rotigotine, a drug that acts on dopamine transmission, improves cognitive function in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease.
Narcotics such as hydrocodone, oxycodone and morphine; muscle relaxants such as cyclobenzaprine, carisoprodol; NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, naproxen should be avoided if possible. If these medications must be used, they should be used at the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration to minimize adverse effects.
Introduction: The five-word test (5WT) is a serial verbal memory test with semantic cuing. It is proposed to rapidly evaluate memory of aging people and has previously shown its sensitivity and its specificity in identifying patients with AD.
Stage 6: Severe Mental Decline/Moderately Severe Dementia Quality of life: Severe impact. Your loved one will not remember much or any of the past and may not recognize you and other family and friends.
Drugs such as Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam), Valium (diazepam), and Ativan (lorazepam) work quickly, typically bringing relief within 30 minutes to an hour. That makes them very effective when taken during a panic attack or another overwhelming anxiety episode.
The Mini-Cog test.
A third test, known as the Mini-Cog, takes 2 to 4 minutes to administer and involves asking patients to recall three words after drawing a picture of a clock. If a patient shows no difficulties recalling the words, it is inferred that he or she does not have dementia.
On June 30 Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) started work to consider approving lecanemab in Australia. This drug has shown similar results to donanemab in patients with early Alzheimer's but also comes with risks of brain swelling and bleeding in a small subset of patients.
Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors
Donepezil (also known as Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon) and galantamine (Reminyl) are used to treat the symptoms of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. Donepezil is also used to treat more severe Alzheimer's disease.
Many people affected by dementia are concerned that they may inherit or pass on dementia. The majority of dementia is not inherited by children and grandchildren. In rarer types of dementia there may be a strong genetic link, but these are only a tiny proportion of overall cases of dementia.
For people with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia, watching TV can help keep their brain active, which can stimulate positive memories, improve mood, and even increase socialization. However, the choice of program can be dependent upon the stage of dementia.
Change in routine
People with dementia often rely on their routines as a source of comfort. A daily routine helps a person know what to expect. This means that a sudden disruption in routine may cause dementia symptoms to get worse. This is especially true if a person experiences stress.