[Drug treatment of dementia].

The number of patients with dementia continues to increase worldwide, mainly due to the demographic developments. Early diagnosis and individualized therapy offers the chance of healing in secondary dementias. The therapy of the more common primary neurodegenerative forms is able to improve the course of the disease. As part of a multimodal management the therapy of dementias includes pharmacological treatment, nondrug treatment strategies, and psychosocial interventions. The treatment is administered depending on dementia form and stage. Antidementive medication and differentiated pharmacological therapy of frequent mental and behavioral symptoms corresponding to current guidelines contribute decisively to stabilize quality of life and activities of daily living, delaying the progression, and thus improving the care situation of patients and caregivers.