Usual Adult Dose for Dementia

1 mg orally 3 times a day

Comments:

• The decision to treat an individual with an ill-defined decline in mental capacity may result in missing underlying conditions that could be reversible and treatable; great care should be exercised to exclude delirium secondary to systemic disease, primary neurological disease, or primary disturbance of mood as possible conditions prior to treatment.
• Continued clinical evaluation is necessary during treatment as the patient's condition may evolve sufficiently to allow for a specific diagnosis and specific alternative treatment.

Renal Dose Adjustments

Data not available

Liver Dose Adjustments

Data not available

Precautions

Safety and efficacy have not been established in patients younger than 18 years.

Consult WARNINGS section for additional precautions.

Dialysis

Data not available

Other Comments

Administration advice:

• Take orally 3 times a day

• As treatment with this drug means target symptoms are of unknown etiology, careful diagnosis should be attempted prior to prescribing.
• Once therapy begins, alleviation of symptoms may not be observed for 3 to 4 weeks.
• Modest efficacy was shown on the SCAG (Sandoz Clinical Assessment-Geriatric) scale including improvements to mental alertness, confusion, recent memory, orientation, emotional lability, self-care, depression, anxiety/fears, cooperation, sociability, appetite, dizziness, fatigue, bothersome (ness), and overall impression of clinical status at 12-weeks.

• Monitor for reversible and treatable conditions
• Continually assess and rate improvements to ensure any initial benefit persists with time.

• Transient nausea and gastric disturbances may occur.
• This drug does not possess the vasoconstrictor properties of natural ergot alkaloids.