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Ethics & Law · single question

A patient with stage 3 Alzheimer disease attends with his legal-guardian daughter, who can calm him. He is agitated because she forgot his morning lorazepam. What is the most appropriate management?

  1. Engage the daughter to help manage his behavior and plan for consistent premedication/communication at future visits
  2. Give three doses of lorazepam before the next visit
  3. Explain each treatment step in detail to the patient regardless of comprehension
  4. Ask the daughter to leave while you treat the patient
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Correct answer: A. Engage the daughter to help manage his behavior and plan for consistent premedication/communication at future visits

For a cognitively impaired patient, involving the trusted caregiver/legal guardian to provide reassurance and ensure consistent routine and premedication is the safest, most effective behavior-management strategy.Other options: Tripling sedative dosing is unsafe; detailed step-by-step explanations may not help an advanced-stage patient; removing the calming caregiver would worsen agitation.Key exam takeaway: In dementia care, partner with the caregiver/guardian and keep routines consistent to manage behavior safely.

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