The Best Practice Advocacy Centre (bpac^nz) (BPAC NZ website) a not-for-profit organisation delivering educational and continuing professional development programs to health professionals in NZ, summarises the guidance provided for the management of BPSD. They recommend firstly conducting a thorough and holistic review of the symptoms including understanding the symptoms in the context of the individual, assessing for any other underlying causes, or contributing factors and identifying target behaviours.

Non-pharmaceutical interventions are recommended as first line and include recommendations for both behavioural and environmental interventions.

Pharmacological interventions available for the second-line management of BPSD include:

• Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (Donepezil or Rivastigmine are funded in NZ),
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for depression, anxiety, or agitation,
• Antipsychotic medications for aggression, delusions, or hallucinations.

References:

BPAC NZ website. Available from: https://bpac.org.nz.