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P2‐456: Clinical and psychiatric comorbidities and drug use among patients with dementia
Author(s) -
Pereira Elaine C.,
Gallo Celia P.,
Santos Lyssandra,
Alegria Renne P.,
Marques Rita C.G.,
Bottino Cassio M.C.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.713
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1552-5279
pISSN - 1552-5260
DOI - 10.1016/j.jalz.2008.05.1535
Subject(s) - dementia , comorbidity , medicine , mood , polypharmacy , psychiatry , disease
Background: The prevalence of Dementia in the elderly is very high as the chance to develop other chronic diseases that can disable them functionally. The use of medication for the control of the diseases is very common. The comorbid profile of these patients and the drugs that are most frequently taken by them are very important for the planning of effective therapeutic schemes that do not offer potential side effects or other complications related to the drug abuse and drugs interactions.Objective: To assess medication use and comorbidity in patients with dementia. Methods: Data review of patients in ambulatory care from 2003 to 2007 (n 71) at a tertiary hospital. Dementia diagnosis was made using DSM-IV-TR criteria, physical examination, test application (CAMCOG, MMSE, NPI and B-ADL) and laboratory exams. The patients were classified according the CDR classification. Results: It was verified that approximately 81.7% of patients were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, while 18.3% had other types of Dementia. The average index of CIRS comorbidity was 0.97 and the index of CIRS severity was 1.24. The most frequent clinical comorbidity was high blood pressure, and the most common psychiatric comorbidity was mood disorder. At least one medication was taken regularly by 82.2% of patients, and 29.5% took more than tree medications. According to CDR, patients with CDR 1 and 2 used less medication than those with CDR 0.5 and 3. Conclusions: High blood pressure and mood disorders are the most common comorbidities in patients with dementia and the cholinesterase inhibitors and antihipertensives are the most commonly used drugs.