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Previous Volume 355:1604-1606 October 12, 2006 Number 15 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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Agitation, aggression, delusions, and hallucinations are among the most common and disabling symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. These problems diminish the quality of life for both the patient and caregiver.¹ They are also costly.² Treatments for these symptoms include the second-generation, or "atypical" antipsychotic medications.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) labels for antipsychotic medications state bluntly that they are not approved for the treatment of dementia-related psychosis, and they display a "black-box" warning: "Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with atypical antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death compared to placebo."³ Yet, clinicians, including me, continue to prescribe . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Source Information

From the Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Institute on Aging, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

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