Preventative medications

When prescribing medications intended to modify the risk of a future event for a person living with dementia, health professionals should consider:

• functionality as the most important factor

• the potential benefits weighed against the actual harm

• potential for side effects

• actual side effects

• the risks of polypharmacy

• the administration burden

• maximise quality of life rather than prolong survival

• continue annual influenza vaccines indefinitely

When prescribing medications intended to modify the risk of a future event for a person living with dementia, health professionals should consider:

• functionality as the most important factor

• the potential benefits weighed against the actual harm

• potential for side effects

• actual side effects

• the risks of polypharmacy

• the administration burden

• maximise quality of life rather than prolong survival

• continue annual influenza vaccines indefinitely

When prescribing medications intended to modify the risk of a future event for a person living with dementia, health professionals should consider:

• functionality as the most important factor
• the potential benefits weighed against the actual harm
• potential for side effects
• actual side effects
• the risks of polypharmacy
• the administration burden
• maximise quality of life rather than prolong survival
• use less stringent targets for blood glucose
• only use diuretics for symptomatic management of heart failure
• cease antihypertensive agents
• cease lipid-lowering medications
• cease medications to manage osteoporosis
• cease anti-platelet, anti-coagulants and anti-thrombotic agents
• cease all medications that do not also provide tangible symptom relief
• cease medications that have a longer potential time to benefit than the person’s likely prognosis