Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia

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Overview

   Dementia, derived from the Latin root “de mens” (away mind) is not a specific diagnosis, but a syndrome or collection of symptoms. Not long ago, “senile dementia” was considered a natural part of the aging process. The same condition in people younger than 65 was termed "presenile dementia" and considered a rare disorder. Early in the 20th century, a type of presenile dementia was identified as Alzheimer’s disease. In the 1970s, researchers concluded that the most common type of dementia in older patients was the same disorder, and the term Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is now applied to patients of all ages.

   Today, AD is recognized as one of a number of neurological conditions previously lumped together as “dementia”. This issue of The Rx Consultant brings you up to date on the management of the dementias you are most likely to see in practice: AD, vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy Bodies, and frontotemporal dementia. Current recommendations for the use of drugs to treat cognitive symptoms (e.g., Aricept,^®, Namenda^®) as well as behavioral symptoms (e.g., antipsychotics, antidepressants) are included.

Publication Date: Mar-1-08
Expiration Date: Mar-1-11
CE Credit: 2.0 (.20 CEU)
Type of activity: Knowledge-based

This program was developed by The Rx Consultant and published by Continuing Education Network, Inc. The Rx Consultant accepts no advertising or financial support from the pharmaceutical industry and is funded solely by the purchase of programs. The Rx Consultant is dedicated to providing unbiased, balanced information to health care practitioners.

Programs developed by The Rx Consultant are written by health care providers with expertise in the topic area, peer-reviewed, extensively edited, and fact-checked. This development process was created to insure that every program presents information that is current, accurate, relevant to "real world" health care providers, and written in an easy reading, "plain English" style.

Authors

Author: R. Ronald Finley, B.S. Pharm., R.Ph. is a Lecturer in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy, UCSF School of Pharmacy, and a Clinical Pharmacist for the UCSF Memory and Aging Center Alzheimer's Research Center in San Francisco, CA.

Disclosure Statement

R. Ronald Finley is a member of the Speaker's Bureau for Forest Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Novartis, and Pfizer, Inc.

Editorial and Review Board

Editor Terry M. Baker, PharmD Associate Editors James Chan, PharmD, PhD Pharmacy Quality and Outcomes Coordinator Kaiser Permanente Oakland, CA Assistant Clinical Professor School of Pharmacy University of California San Francisco San Francisco, CA< Ron Finley, RPh Lecturer Department of Clinical Pharmacy University of California San Francisco San Francisco, CA Associate Member of the UCSF Memory and Aging Center Alzheimer's Research Center Consultant Pharmacist to the Institute on Aging-On Lok Senior Health Institute on Aging Alzheimer's Day Care Center Angie S. Graham, PharmD Drug Information Coordinator Stanford Hospital and Clinics Stanford University Medical Center Stanford, CA Candy Tsourounis, PharmD Associate Clinical Professor Department of Clinical Pharmacy School of Pharmacy University of California, San Francisco San Francisco, CA Director of the Drug Information Analysis Service University of California, San Francisco San Francisco, CA

Assistant Editor and CE Coordinator Tracy Farnen, PharmD Assistant Editor Cynthia Chan Huang, PharmD, MBA Senior Editorial Advisor Gerard Hatheway, PharmD, PhD Editorial Advisors Belinda M. Danielson, RPh Christopher M. DeSoto, PharmD Fred Plageman, PharmD Editorial Advisor and Clinical Practice Consultant for Nurse Practitioners Emily K. Meuleman, RN, C, MS

Accreditation Statements

About the Rx Consultant

The Rx Consultant is a monthly publication dedicated to providing health care professionals with the information they need to educate patients about drugs and manage drug therapy. The reader is responsible for confirming the information presented here and interpreting it in relation to each patient's specific situation before utilizing the information.

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Target Audience

This accredited program is targeted to pharmacists and nurses.

Exam and Credit Statement Procedures

Upon successful completion of this program and the post test (70%), 2.0 hours of continuing education credit will be awarded. To receive credit and your exam score, please complete the exam questions and program evaluation.

Educational Goals and Objectives

At the conclusion of this program, participants will be able to:

• Describe the pathophysiology, symptoms and general clinical course for Alzheimer's disease and other more common forms of dementia.
• Discuss the mechanism of action of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and memantine. Summarize their role in treatment including efficacy, common side effects and precautions.
• Discuss the pharmacological management of behavioral and psychiatric symptoms associated with dementias (e.g., agitation, anxiety, psychosis and depression).