Managing the Burden of Dementia-Related Delusions and Hallucinations

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Identify the burden experienced by patients with dementia-related delusions and hallucinations.
• Assess patients with dementia for the presence of delusions and hallucinations.
• Individualize treatment in patients with dementia-related delusions and
hallucinations.
• Align treatment of patients with Parkinson's psychosis with current
recommendations

Dementia is defined as a clinical syndrome that involves a
cognitive impairment severe enough to impair the patient’s
ability to function independently. Many different conditions can cause dementia, which is often characterized by a decline in memory, language, problem-solving, or other thinking skills. The most common form of dementia, occurring in up to 70% of the estimated 8 million people living with dementia in the United States, is Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Other subtypes include vascular dementia (20%), dementiawith Lewy bodies (5%), Parkinson’s disease (PD) dementia (4%), and frontotemporal dementia (1%). Many patients with dementia have several different causes, eg, combined vascular dementia and AD.
Although dementia may occur in younger adults, the prevalence of dementia increases with age, affecting 2% of those age 65 to 69 years and 33% of those age ≥90 years. Due to the aging US population,
the prevalence of dementia is expected to grow, with some estimates indicating a tripling of AD dementia prevalence by 2050.

Post-activity survey for CME certificate: https://wh1.snapsurveys.com/s.asp?k=159243386032