title: Pharmacotherapy for Dementia: A Practical Approach to the Use of Cholinesterase Inhibitors and Memantine.
abstract: Cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine are the only classes of drugs approved for the treatment of dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. This article provides evidence-based recommendations to address the issues regarding the use of cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine in clinical practice. It includes their efficacy, timing, assessment, use in institutionalized patients, combined use, and use in other dementia types. However, most of the studies are of short duration (<1 year) and are mainly focused on cognitive and global improvement, whereas the practical issue of their use in daily practice such as optimal duration of treatment, long-term efficacy and delaying institutionalization are limited.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Caritas Medical Centre, Hong Kong, China. chitwaiwong@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Chit Wai
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003704:Dementia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008559:Memantine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
chemical_list: D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D008559:Memantine