Dementia due to metabolic causes - Treatment

Treatment:

Treatment focuses on managing the disorder and controlling symptoms.

Medications used to treat Alzheimer's disease have not been shown to work for this type of dementia. However, sometimes these drugs are used anyway, when other treatments are unable to control the underlying problems.

See: Dementia - home care for information about taking care of a loved one with dementia.

Expectations (prognosis):

The outcome varies depending on the cause of the dementia and the amount of damage to the brain.

Complications:

Complications may include the following:

Loss of ability to function or care for self
Loss of ability to interact
Pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and skin infections
Pressure sores
Symptoms of the underlying problem (such as loss of sensation due to a nerve injury in vitamin B12 deficiency)

Calling your health care provider:

Call for an appointment if symptoms get worse or continue. Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number (such as 911) if there is a sudden change in mental status or a life-threatening emergency.

Central nervous system

Reviewed last on: 3/9/2010
Daniel B. Hoch, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

DeKosky ST, Kaufer DI, Hamilton RL, Wolk DA, Lopez OL. The dementias. In: Bradley WG, Daroff RB, Fenichel GM, Jankovic J, eds. Neurology in Clinical Practice. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Butterworth-Heinemann; 2008:chap 70.

Brewer JB, Gabrieli JDE, Preston AR, Vaidya CJ, Rosen AC. Memory. In: Goetz CG, ed. Textbook of Clinical Neurology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders;2007: chap 5.

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