Evolving Evidence for the Efficacy and Safety of ECT for Agitation in Alzheimer Disease

Alzheimer disease (AD) and related dementias are an emerging epidemic with an estimated 5.8 million individuals in the United States living with AD, a number expected to grow to 13.8 million by 2050.1 The financial impact is staggering with approximately $290 billion in healthcare, long-term care, and hospice costs along with an additional 18.5 billion hours of uncompensated caregiving costs per year that are valued at over $234 billion.2 Often neglected by an AD research community focused on finding an elusive cure, the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), such as agitation and depression, are associated with increased morbidity and mortality, heightened public health burden of dementia and increasingly burdened caregivers.
Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry - Category: Geriatrics Authors: Tags: Invited Perspective Source Type: research