title: [Current therapeutic approach in patients with Alzheimer disease].
abstract: Even if a complete recovery is not an available outcome for Alzheimer disease, it is possibile to improve the clinical symptoms (selfsufficiency, cognitive impairment and behavioral disturbances) with pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies. The treatment of the patient with dementia is a complex one, that cannot rely only on the use of drugs but needs of a global approach that take into account all the different aspect of the disease. The most used drugs are the cholinesterase inhibitors that have been shown to stabilize or slow down cognitive and functional decline and retard institutionalization, but new treatments are on the way. Extremely important is a strong alliance with the family. Non pharmacological cognitive rehabilitation techniques are also useful in potentiating residual cognitive functions in the patient and in supporting the family and the caregivers.
authors.affiliation: Cattedra ed U.O. di Geriatria, Unità Valutativa Alzheimer n. 6, Università, Palermo.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferlisi
authors.forename: Ligia J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Dominguez
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vernuccio
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sutera
authors.forename: Anna Lo
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Bue
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Prima
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Picciolo
authors.forename: Tanina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Giambartino
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barbagallo
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors