PURPOSE:

To discuss the pharmacologic options for treatment of hypersexuality or paraphilias in nursing home residents.

DATA SOURCES:

A MEDLINE search was conducted for English-language articles published over the past 20 years and was supplemented by a search of bibliographies of relevant articles.

STUDY SELECTION:

Case reports of pharmacologic treatment of hypersexual or paraphilic behavior were selected only if the patient receiving treatment was an older person and/or cognitively impaired.

DATA EXTRACTION:

Case reports were grouped according to the class of the pharmacologic agent used (antiandrogens, estrogens, GnRH analogues, or serotonergic drugs). Each case report was evaluated for pharmacologic agent administered, route of administration, duration of therapy, therapeutic response, and incidence of side effects.

CONCLUSIONS:

Nursing home residents who display hypersexual or paraphilic behavior are extremely difficult to manage. Before initiating pharmacotherapy to control unwanted sexual behaviors, the current drug regimen should be evaluated carefully for drugs that may be causing or exacerbating the behavior. Case reports suggest that antiandrogens, estrogens, GnRH analogues, and serotonergic medications may be useful when other methods have failed. Controlled comparative trials of these agents are needed to establish their efficacy clearly.