Via practica 4/2020

General practitioner and dementia

The article focuses on the role of general practitioner in the care of patients with dementia. It is based on recently published recommendations, consensus, reviews and evidence-based recommendations as well as information and discussions within Alzheimer Europe. We understand the role of general practitioner as a key and irreplaceable one. In prevention, it is a practitioner, who can intervene in time and influence important risk factors, as well as in diagnostic process and therapy. The practitioner should be the first to recognize the symptoms of dementia and accompany the patient through the diagnostic process, care planning, symptom management and management of co-morbidities. He is an expert who supports persons with dementia and their family caregivers over the entire trajectory of progression of this syndrome.

Keywords: dementia, Alzheimer´s disease, prevention of dementia, risk factors of dementia, early diagnosis, timely diagnosis, management of dementia