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. 2020 Nov 13:15:2183-2194.
doi: 10.2147/CIA.S281723. eCollection 2020.

Dementia Diagnoses and Treatment in Geriatric Ward Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study in Poland

Zyta Beata Wojszel  1   2
Affiliations

Dementia Diagnoses and Treatment in Geriatric Ward Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study in Poland

Zyta Beata Wojszel. Clin Interv Aging. .

Abstract

Purpose: The study aimed to determine the prevalence of dementia, its types, and treatment in geriatric ward patients.

Patients and methods: A cross-sectional study of 406 patients (77.8% women, median age 82, IQR (77-86) years) who underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment in one of the Polish hospitals between September 2014 and April 2015 was conducted.

Results: Dementia was diagnosed in 132 (32.5%) patients (46% mixed dementia; 32% Alzheimer's disease; 10%vascular dementia; 5% dementia in Parkinson's disease; 4% frontotemporal; 3% atypical parkinsonism). A total of 95 (72%) dementia cases were not detected before, and in the above half of these patients, it was not mentioned in the referral document. Only 33.3% of dementia patients were on cognitive enhancers (donepezil, rivastigmine, or memantine); 36.4% received antipsychotics, 45.5% received anti-depressants, 25.8% received nootropics, and 16.7% received anxiolytics/hypnotics.

Discussion: The results confirmed the high incidence of underdiagnoses and undertreatment of dementia in patients admitted to the geriatric ward. It is partly due to the lack of systematic cognitive assessment in primary care settings, although other factors can play a role.

Keywords: anti-dementia medications; anti-depressants; antipsychotics; cognitive enhancers; comprehensive geriatric assessment; dementia diagnosis; dementia treatment; geriatric ward; psychotropic medications; underdiagnoses; undertreatment.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author reports no conflicts of interest for this work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Patients’ enrolment to the study.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Dementia types prevalence in geriatric ward patients.
Figure 3
Figure 3
MMSE results depending on the previous diagnosis and ICD-10 code of dementia on referral documents.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Use of different groups of psychotropic medications in demented patients (detected and undetected before hospitalization).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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