Objectives 1. Demonstrate a systematic approach to the evaluation of agitation in persons with dementia. 2. Discuss the pharmacologic management of dementia related agitation when triggered by the underlying disease. 3. Develop best practices for prescribing typical and atypical antipsychotics for dementia related agitation. Dementia afflicts 5 million people in this country and is characterized by cognitive loss, functional decline, and behavioral and psychological symptoms. Over a 1-month period, agitation is present in up to one-half of dementia sufferers and may worsen as the dementia progresses and the patient approaches end of life. Its presence is associated with patient distress, injury, and nursing home placement, as well as increased caregiver depression and burden. Agitation represents an expression by persons with dementia that should trigger clinicians to investigate potential contributors. It can result from a range of conditions besides the underlying neurodegenerative process. Its evaluation includes a thoughtful assessment of disease-related and other factors . The first portion of the session highlights the common contributors to agitation in persons with advanced dementia. A systematic approach to the assessment of agitation promotes targeted treatments so that polypharmacy can be minimized. If agitation represents a manifestation of the underlying disease process, evidence supports the use of several therapies; although, no single agent has FDA approval for dementia-related agitation. The second portion of the session reviews the latest evidence for commonly prescribed medications for the management of agitation in persons with dementia including antipsychotics, antidepressants, anxiolytics, anticonvulsants, NMDA-receptor antagonists, and cholinesterase inhibitors. Typical and atypical antipsychotics maintain a narrow therapeutic index when prescribed for agitation in persons with dementia, as highlighted by the black-box warning issued by the FDA. Despite this, antipsychotics remain widely prescribed and an important therapy for the management of agitation in this population. The final portion of this session describes best practice standards when using antipsychotics for persons with dementia, including the identification of treatment targets, agent selection, dosing, placebo effects, therapy-related side effects, and consideration for tapering. Domain Physcial Aspects of Care; Psychological and Psychiatric Aspects of Care