Table 3.

Benzodiazepine (BZD) use for treatment of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia

Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia
Study	N	Age	BZD/Other Treatment	Summary of Findings	Favors BZD
Placebo Controlled
Meehan et al. 200227	272	Mean 78 Range 54–97	Lorazepam 1 mg (up to 3) intramuscular (IM) injections Olanzapine 2.5 and 5 mg IM injections Placebo	Significant improvement with lorazepam 1 mg on the Agitation-Calmness Scale, Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory, and PANSS Excited Component versus placebo	Yes, however effect of olanzapine was longer lasting compared with lorazepam
McCarten et al. 199581	7	Mean 73 Range 62–81	Triazolam 0.125 mg Placebo	Triazolam had no significant improvement across sleep measures.	No
Vs. Other Treatment
Christensen & Benfield 199882	48	Mean 83 Range 65–98	Alprazolam 1 mg Haloperidol 0.1 to 1.0 mg (mean 0.64 mg)	No significant difference between medications	No
Coccaro et al. 199028	59	Mean 76 Range 58–99	Oxazepam 60 mg Haloperidol 5 mg Diphenhydramine 200 mg	Modest but significant improvement with all medications in the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale. Magnitude of improvement was greater for haloperidol and diphenhydramine than for oxazepam (not significant)	No
Stotsky 198429	610	Mean 81 (nursing home) 72 (inpatient)	Diazepam 2 to 40 mg Thioridazine 10 to 200 mg	Thioridazine performed better than diazepam in the Hamilton Anxiety Scale, modified Nurses’ Observation Scale for Inpatient Evaluation (NOISE), and global ratings	No