Successfully switching acetylcholinesterase inhibitor therapy in probable Lewy body dementia
Author: Alwahhabi FK.
Source:
Journal of psychopharmacology, 19(2), 214-216.
Lewy body disease is a common cause of dementiPharmacological therapies for
the symptomatic treatment of this disorder are few and largely consist of
acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. No guidelines exist regarding poor response or
intolerability with such medications. This report discusses a case of an elderly
woman with a diagnosis of probable Lewy body dementia who had significant
improvement with donepezil but discontinued it due to side effects. She was
switched to rivastigmine which she tolerated and which had a similar clinical
response. The process of switching is discussed in light of the lack of specific
guidelines.