Dementia patients cared for by their own GPs have risk of delirium cut by 35%: study
Patients are also less likely to be hospitalised and are prescribed fewer medications
Patients with dementia regularly seen by their own GP have lower rates of delirium, incontinence and emergency hospital admissions, leading to better overall health and quality of life, a new study shows.
Researchers in the UK analysed more than 9300 anonymised general practice records over the course of a year from patients with dementia living in England.
Patients were included if they were aged 65 or older and had visited a GP at least three times in the previous 12-month period.
Findings showed patients with dementia who consistently consulted the same GP were 35% less likely to develop delirium and 58% less likely to develop incontinence than those who had the most variation in the GPs treating them.
