Pain in dementia

Wilco Achterberg; Stefan Lautenbacher; Bettina Husebo; Ane Erdal; Keela Herr

doi:10.1097/PR9.0000000000000803

Back

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Pain in dementia

Wilco Achterberg, Stefan Lautenbacher, Bettina Husebo, Ane Erdal and Keela Herr

Pain reports, Vol.5(1), pp.2789-2797

01/01/2020

DOI: 10.1097/PR9.0000000000000803

PMCID: PMC7004504

PMID: 32072098

Files and links (1)

url

https://doi.org/10.1097/pr9.0000000000000803View

Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

The ageing revolution is changing the composition of our society with more people becoming very old with higher risks for developing both pain and dementia. Pain is normally signaled by verbal communication, which becomes more and more deteriorated in people with dementia. Thus, these individuals unnecessarily suffer from manageable but unrecognized pain. Pain assessment in patients with dementia is a challenging endeavor, with scientific advancements quickly developing. Pain assessment tools and protocols (mainly observational scales) have been incorporated into national and international guidelines of pain assessment in aged individuals. To effectively assess pain, interdisciplinary collaboration (nurses, physicians, psychologists, computer scientists, and engineers) is essential. Pain management in this vulnerable population is also preferably done in an interdisciplinary setting. Nonpharmacological management programs have been predominantly tested in younger populations without dementia. However, many of them are relatively safe, have proven their efficacy, and therefore deserve a first place in pain management programs. Paracetamol is a relatively safe and effective first-choice analgesic. There are many safety issues regarding nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioids, and adjuvant analgesics in dementia patients. It is therefore recommended to monitor both pain and potential side effects regularly. More research is necessary to provide better guidance for pain management in dementia.

Life Sciences & Biomedicine

Neurosciences

Neurosciences & Neurology

Science & Technology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Pain in dementia
Creators: Wilco Achterberg - Leiden University Medical Center
Stefan Lautenbacher - University of Bamberg
Bettina Husebo - University of Bergen
Ane Erdal - University of Bergen
Keela Herr - University of Iowa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Pain reports, Vol.5(1), pp.2789-2797
DOI: 10.1097/PR9.0000000000000803
PMID: 32072098
PMCID: PMC7004504
NLM abbreviation: Pain Rep
eISSN: 2471-2531
Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Number of pages: 8
Language: English
Date published: 01/01/2020
Academic Unit: Nursing
Record Identifier: 9984370640902771

Metrics

7 Record Views

115 Times Cited - Web of Science

See more details