Agitation in Alzheimer Disease and Antipsychotics Used Off-Label are Not Meant for Each Other

"The problem with the antipsychotics that are used and have been used a lot off label, is that the data as far as efficacy are pretty sparse and the side effects are pretty dramatic, especially in this older, frail and vulnerable population."

Agitation in a person with Alzheimer disease can often be managed without medication, by reducing or eliminating triggers or with targeted engagement, George Grossberg, MD, professor and director of geriatric psychiatry in the department of psychiatry at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, said in conversation with Patient Care.® There are situations, however, when use of medication is imperative for safety - of the individual and of those around them.

In the short video above, Grossberg talks about the medications that have been used historically to treat acute agitated or aggressive behavior in adults with Alzheimer disease, their efficacy, and their risks.

George T Grossberg, MD, is the Samuel W. Fordyce professor and director of geriatric psychiatry in the department of psychiatry at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. He is a past president of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry and of the International Psychogeriatric Association. Grossberg's research focus includes behavioral symptoms in Alzheimer disease and novel therapies for neurocognitive disorders.