When a loved one is diagnosed with any form of dementia, there are many concerns your family may have. Most notably, there are concerns over the long-term health care and the challenges of daily living your loved one will face. When diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, there are some very specific types of medical care that can be provided to improve your loved ones quality of life but oftentimes you will need to ask the physician about these innovative approaches.
Prescription medication is one type of treatment that is provided to many patients with Alzheimer’s disease. While prescription medication is part of the typical treatment protocol, it will be important to be familiar with the type of prescription medication your loved will use. Because there are side effects and complications associated with medications, the full scope of medications will be of prime importance and, among these, you will want to ask your physician about the use of trazodone.
Physical aggression, irritation and volatile mood swings are quite common among patients with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. When these types of psychological and behavioral complications are not minimized, quality of life will be significant reduced. For this reason, finding medications that can improve the quality of psychological outcomes and behavior will be important for not only the Alzheimer’s patient but also the entire family.
Before taking trazodone, however, be certain that your prescribing physician has conducted the appropriate blood work. Blood work that includes thyroid panel, folic acid levels, and the vitamin B levels will be vital to your effective use of trazodone in the management of your Alzheimer’s behavioral complications. Should any of these blood tests reveal an abnormality, the use of trazodone may result in further health complications in the long term and so alternative medications may need to be considered.
When starting trazodone, in response to Alzheimer’s disease, one of the most significant changes in the behavior of your loved one will involve the re-develop of some inhibitions. As the disinhibition is diffused, quality of life will continue to improve. Beyond the restoration of inhibition, you will also begin to see an improvement in your loved one’s apathy and a decrease in irritability. Trazodone, therefore, can be the key to a successful psychological health plan while living with Alzheimer’s disease – ultimately improving quality of life for everyone associated with the disease and the care of the person living with it.
Sources: Psychology Today, 2002(3) 156-159. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 2001(5) 134-139.
