Resumen

LLIBRE GUERRA, Juan Carlos; GUERRA HERNANDEZ, Milagros A  y  PERERA MINIET, Elianne. Approach, diagnosis and treatment of a patient with dementia in primary health care. Rev Cubana Med Gen Integr [online]. 2008, vol.24, n.2. ISSN 0864-2125.

Dementias and Alzheimer's disease are a serious and increasing health problem in countries with a high life expectancy at birth as ours. In spite of its increasing importance, dementia is frequently underdiagnosed and underestimated. The role of the doctor in primary health care level is essential in the diagnosis of demential syndrome. The diagnosis of dementia is mainly clinical. Its diagnostic sequence at the primary health care level includes a clinical evaluation, a minimal neuropsychological assesment, a functional evaluation, an evaluation to the relative and complementary tests. The primary care physician should be qualified for an adequate diagnosis and follow-up of the patients in the community, which would avoid the expense of resources and the inconveniences for the patient and his family, on having in their own health area a well-prepared professional that knows the problems existing in the social and family setting and is capable of following them up and giving them a convenient advice and the necessary support to the family.

Palabras clave : Dementia; Alzheimer's disease; syndromic diagnosis; differential diagnosis; etiological diagnosis; primary health care.

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