World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry guidelines for the pharmacological treatment of dementias in primary care

Abstract

Objective: To define a practice guideline for biological treatment of dementias for general practitioners in primary care.

Methods: This paper is a short and practical summary of the World Federation of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP) guidelines for the Biological treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias for treatment in primary care ( Ihl et al. 2011 ). The recommendations were developed by a task force of international experts in the field and are based on randomized controlled studies.

Results: Anti-dementia medications neither cure, nor arrest, or alter the course of the disease. The type of dementia, the individual symptom constellation and the tolerability and evidence for efficacy should determine what medications should be used. In treating neuropsychiatric symptoms, psychosocial intervention should be the treatment of first choice. For neuropsychiatric symptoms, medications should only be considered when psychosocial interventions are not adequate and after cautious risk-benefit analysis.

Conclusions: Depending on the diagnostic entity and clinical presentation different anti-dementia drugs can be recommended. These guidelines provide a practical approach for general practitioners managing dementias.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Dementia; Lewy body disease; anti-dementia drugs; guidelines; neuropsychiatric symptoms.