Antidementia drug treatment in people screened positive for dementia in primary care.
BACKGROUND
There is a lack of knowledge about antidementia drug treatment in community dwelling people with dementia in Germany.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the frequency of treatment with antidementia drugs in patients in primary care, and the socio-demographic and clinical variables associated with antidementia drug treatment.


METHODS
Present analyses are based on preliminary data from the DelpHi-trial, an ongoing GP-based, cluster-randomized, controlled intervention trial to implement and evaluate an innovative concept of collaborative dementia care management in Germany. Our sample consists of n = 243 subjects who screened positive for dementia.


RESULTS
29.6% (n = 72) of participants received antidementia drugs: memantine 44.5% (n = 32); donepezil 30.5% (n = 22); rivastigmine 13.9% (n = 10); galantamine 11.1% (n = 8). A total of 46.4% (n = 45) of the subgroup of participants with a formal dementia diagnosis received antidementia drug treatment. Approximately 37.5% (n = 27) of our sample received treatment with antidementia drugs without having a formal diagnosis. Treatment with antidementia drugs was significantly associated with more severe cognitive impairment and having a formal dementia diagnosis.


CONCLUSIONS
One in three people who screened positive for dementia in primary care received antidementia drug treatment, indicating the frequent use of this class of drugs. For those with a formal dementia diagnosis, these drug treatment rates are more than triple, compared to those in nursing homes.
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock/Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
Diana
D
Wucherer
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock/Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
Tilly
T
Eichler
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock/Greifswald, Rostock, Germany Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany.
Ingo
I
Kilimann
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock/Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
Johannes
J
Hertel
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock/Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
Bernhard
B
Michalowsky
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock/Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
Jochen René
JR
Thyrian
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock/Greifswald, Rostock, Germany Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany.
Stefan
S
Teipel
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock/Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany Institute for Community Medicine, Section Epidemiology of Health Care and Community Health, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
Wolfgang
W
Hoffmann
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000077265:Donepezil; D005260:Female; D005702:Galantamine; D006801:Humans; D007189:Indans; D008297:Male; D008559:Memantine; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D048448:Phenylcarbamates; D010880:Piperidines; D011320:Primary Health Care; D000068836:Rivastigmine
D007189:Indans; D018697:Nootropic Agents; D048448:Phenylcarbamates; D010880:Piperidines; D005702:Galantamine; D000077265:Donepezil; D000068836:Rivastigmine; D008559:Memantine
DelpHi-MV trial; dementia; donepezil; galantamine; memantine; primary health care; rivastigmine