PSYCHOSIS IN GEROPSYCHIATRIC INPATIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT DEMENTIA

Psychotic symptoms are commonly encountered in elderly patients both w ith and without dementia. The authors compared presentation and treatm ent response between these two groups. Of 206 consecutive admissions t o an inpatient geropsychiatry unit, 52 (26%) had psychotic symptoms. T hirteen of these had dementia and 22 had a primary Axis I psychotic di sorder without dementia. Both groups presented similarly, improved sig nificantly from admission to discharge and demonstrated equivalent med ication side-effect profiles. Elderly psychotic patients with and with out dementia improve significantly on antipsychotics and tolerate thei r side-effects; however, those with dementia receive lower dosages of medication to treat their symptoms.