Detecting Dementia in Primary Care course for GPs

This session describes an approach to understanding the signs and symptoms of dementia in primary care and provides an overview of the epidemiology and diagnosis of dementia.

This session was reviewed by Sarah Jane Smith and last updated in January 2020.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session you will be able to:

• Recognise the signs and symptoms of different types of dementia
• Explain how dementia affects younger adults, people with learning difficulties and people from diverse communities
• Recognise the differential diagnosis of dementia and when to refer to secondary care
• Distinguish those with memory symptoms caused by conditions other than dementia
• Describe the use of cognitive enhancing medications and be aware of potential side effects
• Discuss the use of medications to manage changes in behaviour and mood

We all become forgetful from time to time and can experience changes related to our ability to think clearly. The scenario of ‘walking into a room and forgetting what I came to get’ is familiar to most. Distinguishing normal forgetfulness from the early cognitive impairment caused by dementia can be extremely difficult.