Many patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are physically frail or have substantial functional impairments. There is growing evidence that such patients are at higher risk for medication-induced adverse events. Furthermore, frailty seems to be more predictive of poor clinical outcomes than chronological age alone. To our knowledge, no systematic review of clinical trials examining drug therapy of AD or behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) has specifically focused on the topic of physical frailty. Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pharmacotherapy in AD patients with frailty or significant functional impairments.

Efficacy and safety of pharmacotherapy for Alzheimer’s disease and for behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in older patients with moderate and severe functional impairments: a systematic review of controlled trials.
Seibert M, Mühlbauer V, Holbrook J, Voigt-Radloff S, Brefka S, Dallmeier D, Denkinger M, Schönfeldt-Lecuona C, Klöppel S, von Arnim CAF.
Alzheimers Res Ther. 2021 Jul 16;13(1):131. doi: 10.1186/s13195-021-00867-8.