Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is the most usual form of dementia. Not remembering why you got up to go to another room, or forgetting where you put your phone may be early signs of Alzheimer’s disease. Because Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease it slowly damages an individual’s ability to function on a day to day basis. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s are: memory deficits, inability to learn new information, ineffective judgment and reasoning skills, and unproductive communication.

Because of its widespread prevalence, there are numerous websites and resources offering information. It is projected that Alzheimer’s affects approximately 4.9 million people 65 years and older, in the United States, and another estimated 200,000 to 500,000 persons below the age of 65.

The progressive nature of this disorder results in deterioration of behavior and personality as evidenced by increased agitation, paranoia, delusions, and hallucinations. The rate of decline varies greatly from individual to individual but eventually complete care will be needed. If there is no significant illness such as pneumonia or the flu, loss of brain function will be the cause of death.

Although Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, there are other types of dementia complicating diagnosis to some extent. Some other types of dementias include: vascular dementia, Pick’s disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease or CJD, and Huntington's disease. It is important to ensure as good an outcome as possible, that early identification and diagnosis made as soon as possible because there are multiple drugs and treatments that can help lessen the effects of the disease.

Something that is not well known about Alzheimer’s is that the brain deterioration, that is the crux of the disease, may occurring anywhere from 10 to 20 years before there are obvious signs and symptoms. Research has identified that there are three distinct stages to the disease: mild, moderate, and severe with each stage are defined by the severity of the behaviors and the compromised functioning the individual is exhibiting.

The symptoms of mild Alzheimer’s are often confused with the normal changes that occur with the aging process. In the mild stage of the disease an individual looks and feel healthy but in reality they do have difficulty making sense of their world. Individual more than likely are aware of these difficulties but do not share this with others. Symptoms may include: inability to learn new information, memory difficulties, issues managing activities, depression, and becoming disoriented and getting lost going to known place. At the moderate stage of the disease the brain has become more damaged because more areas are affected. Symptoms become more obvious and behavior issues become more difficult to manage. Symptoms may include: forgetting old information, constant repetition of stories or asking the same question, increased difficulty in completing tasks such as following written instruction and using the bathroom. Behavioral issues may arise including agitation, wandering, suspiciousness, impaired reasoning, and little concern for appearance and hygiene. In the advanced or severe stage, the damage to the brain has become extensive. Full-time care is most often necessary. The individual may not be able to walk or may walk with difficulty. There is a significant risk of complications such as pneumonia. Symptoms may include: moaning, screaming, incoherent speech, refusal to eat, inability to recognize familiar people or faces, and inability to take care of self.

Diagnosing Alzheimer’s can be accomplished by these conducting one or more of these assessment techniques: neuropsychological test battery, Functional Assessment Staging Scale (FAST), patient history, mental status, physical examination, chest X-ray, laboratory tests, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan, ingle Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) Scan, Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Imaging (MRSI), Computed Tomography (CT or CAT) scan, Electroencephalography (EEG), and Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG).

There is not a cure for Alzheimer’s but there are a number of drugs that have been shown to be effective in reducing the signs and symptoms such as: tacrine, donepezil, riastigmine, galantamine, and namenda. Since behavior issues are a prominent part of Alzheimer’s profile, there are also a number of medications that may help such as major and minor tranquilizers and mood stabilizers. Cognitive treatments for behaviors may also be useful.

Alzheimer’s may be a disease that affects an individual has but it has a significant impact on families and caregivers. Working with a patient with Alzheimer’s requires caring for the families and caregivers too. Because the course of the disease can range from 3 to 20 years caregivers may be stretched to be able to meet the significant needs of the patient.

In summary, Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease that destroys a person’s ability to think, talk, and live independently. The progression of the disease can take up to 20 years which has significant implications for caregivers. Medications is available that reduces the symptoms but there is not a cure for Alzheimer’s.

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