Interní Med. 2010; 12(11): 545-547

Therapeutic and preventive aspects in dementia care - what does really matter

MUDr.Robert Rusina, Ph.D.

Neurologická klinika IPVZ, Fakultní Thomayerova nemocnice, Praha

Dementia is a clinical diagnosis. It is important to evoke dementia early, confirm the diagnosis of dementia syndrome and rule out

other causes of cognitive impairment. The most frequent dementia is Alzheimer´s disease which typically manifests as memory loss and

progressively other cognitive deficits develop. Vascular dementia is based on direct relationship between cognitive impairment and

vascular lesions. Poststroke dementia may develop weeks and months after a first stroke, but it is not necessarily vascular dementia.

Even though diagnosis and management of dementia is confined to specialists (neurologists, psychiatrists and geriatricians) the role

of general practitioners and physicians is fundamental. Dementia treatment is then more efficient then more early started. Therefore,

early recognition of dementia is crucial for a more longlasting and more profound effect of treatment. Prevention of cerebrovascular

lesions and cognitive impairment by consequent management of vascular risk factors, in particular arterial hypertension, is essential

for the elderly, since causal treatment of dementia is still not available.

Keywords: Alzheimer´s disease, vascular dementia, dementia treatment

Published: December 1, 2010  Show citation