Ergoloid mesylates for senile dementias: unanswered questions.

Ergoloid mesylates has been used for 30 years to treat patients with senile dementia. Indications for this drug include hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, and senile dementia of the Alzheimer type. Formerly classified as a cerebral vasodilator, ergoloid mesylates is now considered a metabolic enhancer, but how this action pertains to treatment of senile dementia is uncertain. Prescribed doses of the drug range from 1.5 mg/d to as much as 12 mg/d, but the optimal dose is unknown. Although there is evidence of the short-term efficacy of ergoloid mesylates from numerous controlled trials, many clinicians still consider it to be a placebo. No alternative drug treatments have been proved better. The crucial decision a physician must make is whether to try specific drug therapy or rely solely on supportive care and symptomatic drug treatment. The increasing prevalence of senile dementia has renewed interest in discovering more effective drug treatments for this condition.