title: [Cognitive impairment in elderly patients: what to do in primary care?].
abstract: In Switzerland, each year there are about 25000 new patients suffering from dementia (one new case every 20 minutes!). Currently, recognition of cognitive impairment and dementia diagnoses remain essentially based on clinical features. For the primary care provider, a 4-step approach based on a) history, b) collateral information provided by a knowledgeable relative, c) a standardized brief cognitive screening instrument, and d) simple laboratory tests will identify most older persons suffering from dementia. Unclear situations benefit from an assessment in a memory clinic.
authors.affiliation: Département de Médecine, CHUV, Lausanne. florence.gremaud@bluewin.ch
authors.forename: Florence Brulhart
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Gremaud
authors.forename: Hedi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Decrey
authors.forename: Jean-Francçois
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Démonet
authors.forename: Armin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: von Gunten
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Büla
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D013557:Switzerland