Abstract

Agitation is a common and distressful symptom in Alzheimer’s dementia. Pharmacological treatment is frequently needed when symptoms are moderate to severe. Basic etiology and pathogenesis of agitation is not well understood and this makes targeted pharmacotherapy challenging. Many drugs have been tried but FDA has not approved any drug for treatment and there is lack of consensus. We review the principles, indications and current Level I evidence on the safety and efficacy of various drugs used for treatment of agitation in Alzheimer’s Dementia. We find that newer drugs like citalopram and prazosin have greater efficacy and are better tolerated than antipsychotic medications.

Key words: Safety, Efficacy, Pharmacological Management, Agitation, Alzheimer’s Dementia