Treatment
Treatment focuses on the cause of the disorder and on controlling symptoms. Treatment of the cause may include:
- Dietary supplements
- Medicines
As the symptoms get worse, the person may need 24-hour monitoring and care in the home or in a care facility.
Long-term care may include:
- Controlling aggression or agitation with behavior modification or medication
- Safety measures to protect the person from injury
Prognosis (Expectations)
The outcome varies depending on the cause of the dementia and the amount of damage to the brain.
Complications
- Brain injury that is not reversible
- Complications from the condition that is causing the dementia
- Inability to function or care for self
- Inability to interact with others
- Increased infections anywhere in the body
- Side effects of medications used to treat the disorder
Calling Your Health Care Provider
Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of dementia.
Call for an appointment if your symptoms get worse or continue, even with treatment for the metabolic cause, or if you have new symptoms.
Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number (such as 911) if there is a sudden change in mental status or a life-threatening emergency.
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Dementia due to metabolic causes : Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
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Dementia due to metabolic causes : Symptoms & Signs, Diagnosis & Tests
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Dementia due to metabolic causes : Treatment
Review Date : 2/13/2008
Reviewed By : Luc Jasmin, MD, PhD, Departments of Anatomy & Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only — they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- 2010 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or
distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
