Drugs for non-Alzheimer's dementia - horizon scanning review

NHSC
Record ID 32002000852
English
Authors' objectives:

To summarise the current research evidence on acetylcholinesterase inhibitors for non-Alzheimer's dementia (non-AD).

Authors' recommendations: - Clinical impact: The extension of clinical indications to non-AD dementia may have a significant clinical impact on individuals with these types of dementia. - Service impact: There is often difficulty in distinguishing the exact cause of dementia. If clinical trials are positive physicians may be less hesitant about treating dementia. Clinicians looking after patients may consider using these drugs, even without them being licensed. This will require additional outpatient and/or community monitoring of the effects. - Patient issues: Because of the nature of non-AD dementia there may be increasing patient and carer pressure on health professional to prescribe these drugs. - Financial and overall NHS impact: It is difficult to estimate the financial impact of the introduction of cholinesterase inhibitors for further types of dementia. However, it is thought that approximately 30-40% more patients than currently treated for Alzheimer's disease will be eligible for AChE inhibitors so costs are likely to increase by about 30-40%. Some of this cost may be offset against savings in the cost of care needed for patients with non AD-dementia and the fact that clinicians may feel less obliged to conduct scans or further investigations.
Authors' methods: Overview
Details
Project Status: Completed
Year Published: 2001
URL for published report: http://www.hsric.nihr.ac.uk/search
English language abstract: An English language summary is available
Publication Type: Not Assigned
Country: England, United Kingdom
MeSH Terms
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors
  • Costs and Cost Analysis
  • Dementia
Contact
Organisation Name: NIHR Horizon Scanning Centre
Contact Address: The NIHR Horizon Scanning Centre, Department of Public Health, Epidemiology, and Biostatistics, School of Health and Population Sciences, University of Birmingham, 90 Vincent Drive, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2SP. United Kingdom. Tel: +44 121 414 7831, Fax: +44 121 2269
Contact Name: c.packer@bham.ac.uk
Contact Email: c.packer@bham.ac.uk
Copyright: National Horizon Scanning Centre
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