No long-term effect of behavioral treatment on psychotropic drug use for agitation in Alzheimer's disease patients

Abstract

Th determine if teaching caregivers behavior management techniques (BMTs) reduces long-term psychotropic use in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, we examined 12-month follow-up data from a 4-month randomized study comparing placebo, BMTs, trazodone, and haloperidol for the treatment of agitated behaviors in persons with AD. After 4 months, treatment was allowed with any agent. Between 42.8% and 51% of AD patients received additional psychotropics between 4 and 12 months. The relative risk of being prescribed any psychotropic drug after the 4-month trial was at or about 1.0 for subjects in each drug arm or placebo arm versus BMTs. We concluded that teaching caregivers BMTs did not diminish long-term prescription of psychotropic drugs.