Dementia


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  • Dementia
    • Types
      • Alzheimer's (MOST COMMON)
        • Progresses steadily over time
        • Amyloid plaques - clumps of beta-amyloid
        • Neurofibrillary tangles - bundles of filaments within neurons (tau protein)
          • Accumulation of these lead to reduction of information transmission - lead to brain cell death
            • Amyloid plaques - clumps of beta-amyloid
        • Can affect all areas of the brain
        • Memory loss is common
      • Dementia with lewy bodies
        • Rapidly progresses
        • Lewy body proteins (alpha-synuclein) deposited in brain
          • Also present in Parkinson's disease
        • Parkinson's-like symptoms
        • Sleep disorders and cognitive fluctuations are common
      • Vascular dementia
        • (due to cerebro-vascular disease)
        • Risk factors: Smoking, hypertension, diabetes, obesity,
        • Commonly due to multiple small cerebro-vascular infarcts
        • Increased risk after a stroke
        • Progresses in a stepwise fashion
          • Stable
            • Acute Decline
              • Stable again
        • Mood disorders are common
      • Mixed dementia
        • Can be a mix of 2 or 3 different types of dementia
      • Fronto-temporal dementia
    • Range of cognitive and behavioural symptoms
      • Memory loss
      • Problems with reasoning and communi-cation
      • Change in personality
      • Reduced ability to carry out daily activities
    • Progressive & irreversible disease
    • Aims of treatment
      • Promote independence
        • Maintain function
          • Manage symptoms
    • Treatment
      • Non-drug treatment
        • All pt. with mild-mod dementia
          • Offered group cognitive stimulation programme
          • Group reminiscence therapy
          • Cognitive rehabilitation/OT
      • Drug treatment
        • Mild-Moderate Alzheimers
          • 1st line: Acetylcholine-esterase Inhibitors
            • Donepezil
              • 5mg up to 10mg at bedtime
              • Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS)
            • Rivastigmine
              • 1.5mg BD up to 6mg BD
              • Comes in a patch
                • Apply to clean, dry, non-hairy/irritated skin on back, upper arm or chest
                • initially: 4.6mg/24hr maintenance: 9.5mg/24hr max: 13.3mg/24hr
                • Risk of fatal overdose with errors
                • GI side effects - discontinue patch
            • Galantamine
              • 8mg up to 16-24mg
              • Skin rash - discontinue
            • Increases conc. of Ach at sites of neuro-transmission
            • Anti-muscarinics can antagonise these effects
          • Alternative or additive therapy: NMDA Receptor Antagonists
            • Memantine
              • Not recommend in fronto-temporal dementia or cognitive impairment caused by MS
              • 5mg up to 20mg daily
              • Renal dose reduction
            • Blocks effects of elevated glutamate - which can cause neuronal dysfunction
        • Severe Alzheimers
          • Memantine
            • Not recommend in fronto-temporal dementia or cognitive impairment caused by MS
            • 5mg up to 20mg daily
            • Renal dose reduction
        • Anti-psychotics
          • severe agitation or distress
          • Licensed: Haloperidol & Risperidone
    • Diagnosis - MMSE scoring system
    • Must inform DVLA of diagnosis

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