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Anxiolytics in the Treatment of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2005

Hervé Allain
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Pharmacologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Rennes 1, Rennes, France
Stéphane Schück
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Pharmacologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Rennes 1, Rennes, France
Danièle Bentué-Ferrer
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Pharmacologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Rennes 1, Rennes, France
Michel Bourin
Affiliation:
Centre de Psychopharmacologie Clinique, Hôpital Saint-Jacques, Nantes, France.
Martine Vercelletto
Affiliation:
Centre de Psychopharmacologie Clinique, Hôpital Saint-Jacques, Nantes, France.
Jean-Michel Reymann
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Pharmacologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Rennes 1, Rennes, France
Elisabeth Polard
Affiliation:
Centre Régional de Pharmacovigilance, CHR Pontchaillou, Rennes, France

Extract

By definition, anxiolytics are drugs capable of treating anxiety and anxiety related disorders. The precise role of anxiolytics, particularly in comparison with other drug classes (e.g., antipsychotics and antidepressants) and other therapeutic approaches (e.g., psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, and relaxation) in treating behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) needs to be determined. If anxiolytics are used for BPSD, the clinician must decide whether they should be used as an emergency measure, as long-term therapy, or both. Also, whether anxiolytics are useful in treating anxiety and its consequences in both the early and advanced stages of dementia must be considered.

Type
Pharmacologic Approaches
Copyright
© 2000 International Psychogeriatric Association

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