Review
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World J Psychiatr. Dec 22, 2014; 4(4): 72-79
Published online Dec 22, 2014. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v4.i4.72
Pharmacological management of behavioral symptoms associated with dementia
Subramoniam Madhusoodanan, Mark Bryan Ting
Subramoniam Madhusoodanan, Department of Psychiatry, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203, United States
Subramoniam Madhusoodanan, Mark Bryan Ting, Department of Psychiatry, St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, Far Rockaway, NY 11691, United States
Author contributions: Madhusoodanan S and Ting MB contributed to the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Subramoniam Madhusoodanan, MD, Associate Chair, Department of Psychiatry, St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, 327 Beach 19th Street, Far Rockaway, NY 11691, United States. sdanan@ehs.org
Telephone: +1-718-8697248 Fax: +1-718-8698532
Received: September 10, 2014
Peer-review started: September 10, 2014
First decision: October 15, 2014
Revised: October 29, 2014
Accepted: November 7, 2014
Article in press: November 10, 2014
Published online: December 22, 2014
Processing time: 104 Days and 14.7 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: Dementia may present with neuropsychiatric symptoms that may require pharmacological interventions. Medications used for the behavioral symptoms associated with dementia are not Food and Drug Administration-approved and hence are being used off-label in the United States. The decision to start medications is based on a judicious consideration of risks and benefits. The choice of the agent should be guided by a thorough understanding of its pharmacologic properties and safety profiles, concomitant medications, and concurrent medical conditions. This article reviews the current evidence for psychotropic medications and presents recommendations with an algorithm for the treatment of neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with dementia.