Question

Which of the following patients with Alzheimer-type dementia (AD) is the best candidate for treatment with a second-generation antipsychotic?

a) A 72-year-old man recently diagnosed with AD and mild cognitive impairment
b) A 68-year-old woman with moderate AD and signs of depression
c) A 75-year-old man with moderate AD and who sometimes sees and angrily talks to his wife who passed away 10 years ago
d) An 81-year-old woman with moderate-to-severe AD who has repeatedly attempted to wander away from her long-term care facility

Answer 1

The best candidate for treatment with a second-generation antipsychotic among the given patients with Alzheimer-type dementia (AD) is a 75-year-old man with moderate AD and who sometimes sees and angrily talks to his wife who passed away 10 years ago.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best candidate for treatment with a second-generation antipsychotic among the given patients with Alzheimer-type dementia (AD) is option c) A 75-year-old man with moderate AD and who sometimes sees and angrily talks to his wife who passed away 10 years ago. This patient's symptoms of seeing and interacting with someone who is not present can be classified as visual hallucinations and delusions, which are common in AD. Secondly, the patient's symptoms of anger may be a result of agitation, another common symptom seen in moderate AD. Second-generation antipsychotics, like risperidone or olanzapine, are commonly prescribed to manage symptoms of psychosis and agitation in AD patients.