No long-term effect of behavioral treatment on psychotropic drug use for agitation in Alzheimer's disease patients.
Th determine if teaching caregivers behavior management techniques (BMTs) reduces long-term psychotropic use in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, we examined 12-month follow-up data from a 4-month randomized study comparing placebo, BMTs, trazodone, and haloperidol for the treatment of agitated behaviors in persons with AD. After 4 months, treatment was allowed with any agent. Between 42.8% and 51% of AD patients received additional psychotropics between 4 and 12 months. The relative risk of being prescribed any psychotropic drug after the 4-month trial was at or about 1.0 for subjects in each drug arm or placebo arm versus BMTs. We concluded that teaching caregivers BMTs did not diminish long-term prescription of psychotropic drugs.
Weiner
Myron F
MF
Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, USA.
Tractenberg
Rochelle E
RE
Sano
Mary
M
Logsdon
Rebecca
R
Teri
Linda
L
Galasko
Douglas
D
Gamst
Anthony
A
Thomas
Ron
R
Thal
Leon J
LJ
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D014196:Trazodone / Q000627:therapeutic use
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D006220:Haloperidol; D014196:Trazodone