Ziprasidone for agitation or psychosis in dementia: four cases.
OBJECTIVE
These case reports examine the potential efficacy and safety of ziprasidone for the treatment of agitation or psychosis in dementia.


METHODS
The authors performed a retrospective chart review of three patients with DSM-IV diagnoses of dementia, treated with ziprasidone for agitation/psychosis on an academic psychiatric inpatient unit in 2002-2003. In addition, these three case reports are supplemented by a clinical report of the first outpatient with DSM-IV diagnosis of dementia completing a prospective open-label six-week study in 2004 evaluating the use of oral ziprasidone for agitation/psychosis in dementia. Qualitative descriptions of clinical improvement provide outcome data for these case reports.


RESULTS
Four patients with dementia with agitation/psychosis experienced marked behavioral improvement after receiving oral doses of ziprasidone (20-160 mg/day), without any evidence of problematic cardiac or other side-effects. Two of the four patients had final EKGs and both of these patients demonstrated no change of QTc interval after administration of ziprasidone.


CONCLUSIONS
These case reports suggest that oral ziprasidone may be an effective and safe medication for the treatment of agitation or psychosis in patients with dementia.
SUNY Stony Brook Health Sciences Center, New York 11794-8101, USA. steven.cole@stonybrook.edu
Steven A
SA
Cole
Rehan
R
Saleem
William P
WP
Shea
Mark
M
Sedler
Marilyn
M
Sablosky
Darlene
D
Jyringi
Angela
A
Smith
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D010879:Piperazines; D013844:Thiazoles; C092292:ziprasidone