The American Psychiatric Association Practice Guideline on the use of antipsychotics to treat agitation or psychosis in patients with dementia

This article first appeared in The American Journal of Psychiatry. Reus VI, Fochtmann LJ, Eyler E, Hilty DM, Horvitz-Lennon M, Jibson MD. . . Wills, C. The American Psychiatric Association Practice Guideline on the use of antipsychotics to treat agitation or psychosis in patients with dementia. Am J Psychiatry. 2016, 173:543-546.

At its December 2015 meeting, The APA Board of Trustees approved the APA Practice Guideline Writing group’s “Practice Guideline on the Use of Antipsychotics to Treat Agitation or Psychosis in Patients With Dementia.” [The full guideline is available at http://psychiatryonline.org/doi/book/10.1176/appi.books.9780890426807]

INTRODUCTION

The goal of this guideline is to improve the care of patients with dementia who are exhibiting agitation or psychosis. More specifically, this guideline focuses on the judicious use of antipsychotic medications when agitation or psychosis occurs in association with dementia and does not review evidence for or
focus on other pharmacological interventions. The guideline is intended to apply to individuals with dementia in all settings of care as well as to care delivered by generalist and specialist clinicians. Recommendations regarding treatment with antipsychotic medications are not intended to apply to individuals who are receiving antipsychotic medication for another indication (e.g., chronic psychotic illness) or individuals who are receiving an antipsychotic medication in an urgent context.