Donepezil use for advanced Alzheimer's disease--a case study from a long-term care facility.

摘要

The following case describes a severely demented, elderly male patient who was placed in a nursing home when he became unmanageable in an assisted-living facility. Upon admission to the nursing facility, the patient was diagnosed with relatively severe Alzheimer's disease (AD)treated with the cholinesterase inhibitor donepezil in the context of a clinical study. This report illustrates that donepezil, and perhaps by analogy other cholinesterase inhibitors as well, can be efficacious in treating the cognitive, functional, and behavioral impairment associated with advanced AD.