Cognitive pharmacotherapy of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this paper is to review the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the pharmacotherapy of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias and to provide evidence-based recommendations for treatment of the cognitive impairment associated with these disorders.


METHODS
A Medline search was conducted for RCTs, using the following key words: Alzheimer's disease, dementia, therapy, cholinesterase inhibitor, donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine. Studies were critically appraised, followed by a review of published major clinical practice guidelines. Recommendations for treatment were made based on best available evidence.


RESULTS
The pharmacotherapy of Alzheimer's disease should include the meticulous management of vascular risk factors (for example, hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol, and stroke prophylaxis) and consideration for supplementation with folate, vitamin B complex, and vitamin E. Patients should be offered at least 1 trial of a cholinesterase inhibitor, with the possibility of another trial if the first is poorly tolerated or ineffective. Patients with vascular dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies should also be offered treatment with cholinesterase inhibitors. At this time, we lack sufficient data to recommend the use of hormone replacement or antiinflammatory therapy for treatment of dementia as the primary indication.


CONCLUSIONS
Reasonable evidence exists to provide recommendations for the pharmacotherapy of dementia. Treatment will likely result in modest but important benefits to patients, caregivers, and society.
Herrmann
Nathan
N
Department of Psychiatry, Division of Geriatric Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5. nathan.herrmann@swchsc.on.ca
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018697:Nootropic Agents