Managing anxiety in people with dementia. A case series.
Anxiety is common in people with dementia but little is known about its treatment. Seven cases with moderate/severe dementia and significant clinical anxiety are described. Anxiety symptoms were measured using the RAID scale. Anxiety was managed with pharmacological and psychosocial interventions. All patients showed a significant clinical improvement in their anxiety and had a considerable reduction in their RAID scores. Assessment and effective treatment of anxiety in dementia should improve patient's quality of life and should become more established in good clinical practice. Further research should include a randomised controlled trial of interventions to reduce anxiety.
Qazi
Afifa
A
Warley Hospital, Warley Hill Brentwood Essex CM14 5HQ, UK.
Shankar
Kuttalingam
K
Orrell
Martin
M
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents