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In the patient with dementia

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Dementia: Screening

Medical red flags

  • Advanced age
  • History of cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, dyslipidemia, history of smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, diabetes, atrial fibrillation)
  • History of cardiovascular disease or cerebrovascular disease
  • A family history of dementia
  • History of delirium or new onset depression in late life
  • History of head trauma or neurological illness (Parkinson's)

Behavioural red flags

  • Recent motor vehicle accident in older adult
  • Difficulties in taking medication
  • Missing appointments
  • Repetitive calling to the office
  • Family concerns about memory loss
  • Deferring answers to questions to family members or caregivers
Adapted from: Kenneth Le Clair and Dallas Seitz, The patient with dementia, Psychiatry in Primary Care (CAMH, 2011)

Psychiatric interviewing series

David Goldbloom and Nancy McNaughton demonstrate clinical interviewing situations.

Psychiatry in primary care toolkit

A powerful mobile app packed with features that will streamline screening and assessment in primary care.

Download the Toolkit

Frequently asked questions

Clinical guidelines

Fourth Canadian Consensus Conference on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia Recommendations for family physicians (2014)

Caregiving strategies for older adults with delirium, dementia and depression (RNAO, 2004, 2010)

Recommendations on screening for cognitive impairment in older adults (Canadian Task Force on Preventative Health, 2015)

Dementia, disability and frailty in later life – mid-life approaches to delay or prevent onset (NICE guideline NG16, 2015)