title: Alleviation of multiple abnormalities by galantamine treatment in two patients with dementia with Lewy bodies.
abstract: Two patients diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) presented with prominent behavioral disturbances. The first patient experienced well-formed visual hallucinations, movement disorders, and cognitive decline and was increasingly resistant to care. He was treated with galantamine 4 mg bid, which was increased to 8 mg bid after four weeks. Improvements in behavior, attention, and cognition made it possible for this patient to be transferred back to long-term care after 32 days. The second patient had increasing confusion, fluctuating cognition, agitation, and psychosis. He was given donepezil initially, then switched to galantamine 4 mg bid. He was assessed as stable for discharge with improved behavior control after three weeks. Both patients also were receiving an atypical antipsychotic (quetiapine) and an antidepressant (venlafaxine and sertraline, respectively).
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Behavioral Services, Bethesda Rehabilitation Hospital, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Alvin C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Holm
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D005702:Galantamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D020961:Lewy Body Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D005702:Galantamine