Antipsychotic Treatment of Psychosis and Agitation in the Elderly

Agitated, aggressive behavior and psychosis are common manifestations of Alzheimer’s diseasethat frequently lead to institutionalization. The usefulness of conventional neuroleptic treatment inthis population is limited by narrow therapeutic windows because of limited efficacy and high sensitivityto side effects. More recently, investigational clinical trials have suggested potential utility foratypical antipsychotics such as risperidone, olanzapine, and quetiapine in treatment of behaviorallydisturbed individuals and for the psychotic manifestations of dementia.