Neuropsychiatric Symptoms of Dementia in the Elderly

Course Information for Audit

This educational site can still be audited free of charge. As an added feature, it is now available for accreditation for pharmacists.

Course Information for Accreditation

The following information pertains to accreditation only. Before you proceed to registration, please review the learning objectives and content of the entire site.

Target Audience

Geriatric health-care practitioners

Accreditation

At this time we are offering CE for pharmacists only. The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.

CE Release Date: April 2006

CE Expiration Date: April 2008

This program (INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM NUMBER ACPE #203-999-06-032-H01) qualifies for 0.20 CEUs (2.0 contact hours) of continuing pharmacy education. CEUs will be awarded provided that the participant reviews this site and scores 70% or better on the post test that follows. To receive a statement of credit, please complete the examination and evaluation that follows this program. A statement will be awarded and mailed to you within 4-6 weeks.

Site Development Author:

Manju T. Beier, Pharm..D., FASCP
Partner, Geriatric Consultant Resources, LLC
Clinical Associate Professor, College of Pharmacy
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this program, the participant should be able to:

1. Discuss the prevalence and the spectrum of neuropsychiatric symptoms accompanying dementia in the elderly.

2. Describe the neurotransmitter abnormalities that are theorized to accompany neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia.

3. Enumerate medications, medical disorders, and medical conditions that may produce or exacerbate neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with delirium and dementia in the elderly patient.

4. List nonpharmacologic strategies (such as, environmental manipulation) that can help alleviate behavioral disturbances associated with dementia in the elderly patient.

5. Briefly describe the practice guidelines that have recently emerged discussing an approach to neuropsychiatric symptoms in the elderly.

6. Describe the efficacy, adverse effects, dosing, drug interactions, and monitoring parameters of various psychoactive drugs and their potential role in the management of neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with dementia in the elderly.

7. Discuss how the newer "atypical" antipsychotics (clozapine, risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine, ziprasidone and aripiprazole) differ from the "traditional" agents, and outline their role in the management of neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with dementia in the elderly.

8. Delineate various other therapeutic classes of drugs (antidepressants, antiepileptic mood stabilizers, cognition enhancers) that have published trials for the management neuropsychiatric symptoms in the elderly.

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