Revised treatment guidelines define treatment standards for dementia

In Germany, around 1.5 million people are currently suffering from dementia, which is the cause of many different medical illnesses. Research is looking intensively for new effective therapies. Now the newly revised treatment guideline at the highest quality level of the AWMF * bundles all current clinical studies and current research knowledge. This will lead to new evidence-based recommendations for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of dementia.

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Although dementia is currently not curable, there are increasing therapeutic options for improving quality of life, alleviating symptoms and delaying the progression of the disease. New, meaningful studies prove in particular the effectiveness of certain psychosocial interventions. For the first time, these procedures have the same level of evidence in the current revision of the S3 guideline as the drug therapy with anti-dementia drugs. However, today's treatment practice in Germany is far removed from these evidence-based recommendations, so that considerable therapeutic improvements are possible and necessary - for the benefit of people with dementia.

The revised S3 Treatment Guideline is now available online for public consultation with DGPPN and the German Neurological Society (DGN). In the following four weeks it can be commented by all interested parties. The focus of the guideline lies in the medical field. It provides a clear, understandable decision-making basis for the diagnosis, treatment, care and counseling of dementia patients. The aim is to sustainably improve the medical treatment and care of patients and their relatives. The lead of the revision process lies with DGPPN and DGN. A total of 28 professional societies and organizations as well as associations participated in the consensus-building of this major project.

Not only do dementia affect the lives of those affected and their relatives severely, they also pose major challenges to health and social systems. "Due to the increasing life expectancy and the demographic change, more and more people are expected in the coming years. The optimal care of dementia is therefore of enormous importance. This is where the revised treatment guideline comes in: it should strengthen the use of effective and helpful procedures in the care sector, "explains Dr. med. Iris Hauth, President of the DGPPN and Managing Director of the Alexian St. Joseph Hospital Berlin-Weißensee.

Early diagnosis and timely initiation of treatment can positively influence the course of dementia. "Diagnostics and therapy are the central chapters of the guideline. It provides clear and practical recommendations to the professionals involved in the treatment. At the same time, it points to the lack of efficacy of certain applications. According to the guideline's recommendations, new psychosocial interventions are equally important as well as anti-dementive drugs in the overall treatment plan for dementia. For today, the effectiveness of everyday cognitive stimulation (but not the memory training), individually adapted occupational therapy or specific physical activities is clearly demonstrated. The use of such methods should be done at home if possible. This not only promotes the quality of life, abilities and positive feelings of the patients, but also relieves the caregivers, "says dementia expert Prof. Wolfgang Maier, spokesman of the Guideline Steering Group at the DGPPN and Director of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy of the University Hospital Bonn.

The revised S3 guideline "Dementia" forms the basis for improved care for dementia patients. "Now it is time to implement the evidence-based recommendations in the daily routine of treatment. But our health care needs to become more sensitive to dementia: intensive, competent specialist and nursing care is not yet adequately guaranteed. We need to reach people with dementia everywhere - at home, in the office, in the hospital or in the nursing home " Iris Hauth. (Pm)