Centre for Policy on Ageing



Olanzapine in dementia with Lewy bodies — a clinical study
Author(s)	Zuzana Walker, Jan Grace, Ross Overshott
Journal title	International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, vol 14, no 6, June 1999
Pages	pp 459-466
Keywords	Dementia ; Drugs ; Assessment procedures for mental patients ; Clinical surveys.
Annotation	Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is now a well-recognised form of dementia in which psychosis and behavioural disturbance are common. Treatment with conventional neuroleptics are often very poorly tolerated. Olanzapine, a newly-introduced atypical neuroleptic which binds to multiple receptor types with relatively low affinity for D2 receptors, may be a useful treatment option in DLB. The results for 8 DLB patients with associated psychotic and behavioural difficulties are presented. All were given olanzapine 2.5-2.75 mg, and their psychotic phenomena and extrapyramidal symptoms were monitored at 2-weekly intervals. 3 patients could not tolerate olanzapine, even at the lowest available dose. 2 had clear improvement in psychotic and behavioural symptoms. 3 were able to tolerate olanzapine but gained only minimal benefit. Olanzapine at the doses used conferred little advantage over conventional neuroleptics and should only be given with great caution to patients with DLB. (RH).
Accession Number	CPA-990825271 A
Classmark	EA: LLD: DA:4C: 3G
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...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.