A novel approach towards behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia management

Abstract

Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning to the extent that it interferes with the person’s daily routine functioning. Evidence suggests that there are millions of people living with dementia and this number is ever increasing as the younger age mortality is on the decline. The various causes of dementia can be diagnosed by a thorough medical history, a general and systemic examination, laboratory investigations, and neurological imaging. Although cognitive impairment is required and even sufficient for the diagnosis of dementia, the disease may also be accompanied by neuropsychiatric symptoms known as behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), which are widespread and have a significant impact on the disease’s prognosis and treatment. In this case report, we will be discussing about a novel approach undertaken when managing the BPSD symptoms of two patients older than 90 years of age. The patients were admitted to the inpatient department of a tertiary care hospital. The patients were started on low-dose medications initially but due to no improvement, a more rigorous approach had to be taken.