Dementia - Pharmacotherapy Treatment

Dementia is not a disease but are some symptoms due to the disorders that affect brain. Dementia patients cannot think properly or perform day today activities. They are not able to control their thoughts and actions and will not be able to face the world. They may lose their ability to solve problems or control their emotions. They begins to act abnormally. In primary dementia there are no other illness but dementia itself is the symptom. Second dementia are caused by diseases like stroke, head injury, multiple sclerosis etc. Pseudodementia is a situation in which symptoms similar to dementia are seen in patients along with depression.

Symptom

Those affected with dementia may lose memory or may not be able to handle language.

Causes

At times some disease like Alzheimer's and stroke cause dementia. Drugs are available for these disease but cannot repair damage occured to brain. Symptoms may be slowed down or improved due to the usage of drugs.

Treatment

Pharmacotherapy is the usual type used which tries to reduce or cure symptoms or to slow down progression of disease. Cholinergic neurotransmitters like acetylcholinesterase inhibitors for example Donepezil, Galantamine, Metrifonate, Nicergoline, Physostigmine, Posatirelin, Rivastigmine, Tacrine, Velnacrine, Non-cholinergic neurotransmitters or neuropeptide modifying agents like Haloperidol, Memantine, Selegiline are also used in dementia patients.Some other medications like Cerebrolysin are also used. Though Food and Drug Administration has approved only five medications for treating dementia some other pharmacological agents are also tried. These medications helps the patients to lead longer life and to improve their health. It is also said that regular consumption of alchohol in a moderate quantity is likely to reduce risk of dementia. Only thing apatient can do is to lead an active life physically and mentally. Certain study reports says that long term consumption of beta carotene might prevent dementia.

Links

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/dementia_overview/article_em.htm

http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/epcsums/demphsum.htm

http://www.ncpamd.com/dementia.htm

http://seniorhealth.about.com/cs/alzheimers/a/forgetfulness_2.htm

http://www.about-dementia.com/articles/about-dementia/dementia-causes/index.php

http://www.neurologychannel.com/dementia/causes.shtml

http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx12.htm

http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/Dementia.html

http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx12.htm

http://www.neurologychannel.com/dementia/causes.shtml

http://seniorhealth.about.com/cs/alzheimers/a/forgetfulness_2.htm

http://www.ncpamd.com/dementia.htm

http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/Dementia.html

http://www.webmd.com/brain/tc/dementia-cause

http://dem.sagepub.com/

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/dementia_overview/article_em.htm

http://www.healthscout.com/ency/68/456/main.html