"Agitation and aggression are common in Alzheimers patients and there is no known safe and effective treatment. Now researchers report that a combination drug already in use for treating certain neurological problems may be a better remedy. Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant commonly found in overthecounter cough medicines and quinidine is a drug used to control heart rhythm disorders. In combination they are used to treat pseudobulbar affect a neurological disorder involving involuntary crying or other emotional displays.  The scientists randomized  Alzheimers patients to a week course of dextromethorphanquinidine and  to placebo. Researchers then rated them using a wellvalidated scale that measures aggression and agitation. The study is in the Sept.  issue of JAMA httpsjama.jamanetwork.comarticle.aspxarticleid. Aggression scores declined to . from . in the dextromethorphanquinidine group and to . from . in those who took a placebo. Then the researchers rerandomized those who did not respond to placebo to receive either drugs or placebo and found similar encouraging results for the drug combination. Fiftyfive percent of the people who were on drugs had a  percent reduction in their agitation said the lead author Dr. Jeffrey L. Cummings director of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. Thats a lot when a patient is striking and hitting and cussing. There are no currently approved treatments for agitation and were very enthusiastic about this finding."