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Clinical Evaluation of Dementia Patients

Dementia is the clinical syndrome characterized by acquired losses of cognitive and emotional abilities severe enough to interfere with daily functioning and the quality of life. In Korea, the majority of patients with symptoms of dementia are initially evaluated by a general practitioner, and many do not receive a follow-up assessment by a specialist. Accordingly, general practitioners play a vital role in identifying patients with possible dementia and undertaking additional diagnostic procedures. It is important that tests to confirm the presence of dementia be performed uniformly, irrespective of the specialty of the examining physician. This article will discuss the several issues in the evaluation of dementia which may be raised frequently by general practitioners. The infrastructure for dementia assessment team, the evaluation of patients with mild memory complaints, the assessment of cognitive and functional disability, and screening examination to detect the reversibility of dementic symptoms will be reviewed.