Dementia DDx - Office diagnosis of the four major types of dementia

The prevalence of dementia increases with age from 1% at age 60 to about 40 % at age 85. Four types of dementia-Alzheimer's disease, diffuse Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and vascular dementia-account for 90% of all cases. The office-based physician can recognize these dementing illnes ses in older patients by using existing consensus criteria. Differential di agnosis has an important hearing on patient management and prognosis, due t o the potential value of treatment with some medications, possible drug tox icities in certain circumstances, and the complex care needs of patients an d their families.