- Meds or substances of abuse: narcotics, benzos, others meds that affect cognition, etoh, other
- Other conditions can contribute to memory loss & occur commonly in same population suffering from dementia
- Goal to identify & correct anything that's treatable, then reassess for dementia; Conditions include→anemia, thyroid d/o, B12 defic syphillis, sleep d/o, chronic kidney/liver dz; brain tumor, Parkinson's Dz, coexisting delirium state