Guanfacine for irritability, impulsivity, and agitation in elderly patients: A report of two cases.

Background

Irritability, impulsivity, and agitation in elderly patients with dementia are highly prevalent and extremely burdening for patients, caregivers, and medical staff. In general hospitals, they have been one of the major problems that develop and disturb care and treatment. However, the mechanisms underlying these symptoms remain unclear, and there is no established treatment. In actual clinical practice, antipsychotic drugs and mood stabilizers have been mainly used as pharmacotherapies for these symptoms, but adverse effects of these drugs have often been problematic.

Case Presentation

We report two valuable cases of elderly patients who were admitted to our hospital due to physical disorders and developed irritability, impulsivity, and agitation, which were effectively treated with guanfacine at very low doses and in a short period.

Conclusion

The present cases suggest that guanfacine may be a therapeutic option for treating irritability, impulsivity, and agitation in elderly patients.

Informations de copyright

© 2022 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences Reports published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.