Linked Life Data

7893774

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/7893774

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
5
pubmed:dateCreated
1995-4-26
pubmed:abstractText
To investigate whether an early diagnosis of dementia is established, whether a differentiation is made between vascular and primary degenerative etiology, and whether treatable causes of dementia are considered in primary care, we performed a survey using three written sample case histories describing slight memory impairment (case 1) or moderate dementia (case 2a: vascular dementia; case 2: degenerative dementia of Alzheimer type). The combinations 1 and 2a or 1 and 2b were randomly assigned and presented to ambulatory-care physicians (145 general practitioners and primary care internists and 14 neuropsychiatrists in private practice) in Göttingen and rural surroundings by a trained investigator who then performed a standardized interview. The study was representative (response rate 83.2%). For the sample case with slight memory complaints 13.8% of all physicians arrived at a primary diagnosis of depression and 44.0% considered depression for differential diagnosis. Senile dementia of Alzheimer type was considered less often. In the sample cases with moderate dementia according to established scientific criteria, there was a striking under-diagnosis of dementia, and in both cases an over-diagnosis of underlying vascular etiology. Treatable causes of dementia, such as possible drug interactions and substance abuse, were considered only by a minority of physicians. In conclusion, memory deficits seem to be regarded mainly as consequences of disturbed cerebral perfusion, and dementia as well as depression and drug adverse effects seem to be under-diagnosed in primary care.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:issn
0940-1334
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
244
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
278-83
pubmed:dateRevised
2009-5-11
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1994
pubmed:articleTitle
Diagnosis of dementia in primary care: results of a representative survey in lower Saxony, Germany.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Psychiatry, University of Göttingen, Germany.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Clinical Trial, Randomized Controlled Trial, Case Reports