Alzheimer's disease is an age-related, irreversible brain disorder that destroys memory and other important mental functions. It is the most common cause of dementia in older people.

1. Facts Of ALZHEIMER'S/DEMENTIA

2. Facts Of ALZHEIMER'S/DEMENTIA
•Alzheimer's disease is an age-related, irreversible brain disorder that destroys
memory and other important mental functions. It is the most common cause of
dementia in older people. Dementia is a loss of thinking, remembering, and reasoning
skills that interferes with a person’s daily life and activities.
•Alzheimer's disease begins slowly and first involves parts of the brain that control
thinking, memory and language. A related problem called mild cognitive impairment
(MCI), causes more memory problems than normal for people of the same age.
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3. Symptoms of Early, Middle and Late
Stage Alzheimer's Disease
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4. Symptoms of Early, Middle and Late
Stage Alzheimer's Disease
Early (Mild) Stage Symptoms:
•Difficulty with tasks such as balancing a checkbook or making dinner
•Difficulty learning new tasks
•Slower reaction time when driving or making decisions
•Occasional difficulty finding words
•Short-term memory impairment
•Increased irritability, anxiety or depression.
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5. Symptoms of Early, Middle and Late
Stage Alzheimer's Disease
Middle (Moderate) Stage Symptoms:
•Significant personality changes, such as being argumentative, impulsive, angry
• Resistive to, or combative with, physical care, even (sometimes especially) when
provided by a loved one
•Short-term and long-term memory loss
•Increased difficulty communicating with others
•A "love-hate" relationship with their caregivers; for example, extremely dependent on
but also very unkind toward a spouse or adult child
•Potential for wandering away from home
•Very poor judgment and decisions
•Often the physical abilities still remain intact here, such as their ability to walk around
•Sometimes incontinence becomes a concern
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6. Symptoms of Early, Middle and Late
Stage Alzheimer's Disease
Late (Severe) Stage Symptoms:
•Decreased ability to interact with others
•Ability to recognize people diminishes
•Physical decline, such as inability to walk or talk
•Difficulty with eating, even with assistance
•Apparent withdrawal from surroundings
•Incontinence
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7. Diagnosis and Treatment
How Is Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosed?
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8. Diagnosis and Treatment
How Is Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosed?
Reports of Symptoms
The physician may ask the person and a loved one to tell them about the symptoms they've
experienced to determine if they are consistent with the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.
Mental Status Exams
A mental status exam is often used to objectively evaluate cognitive functioning. There are
several ways to evaluate cognition, but one of the more common exams is the Mini Mental
State Exam. This exam tests different aspects of the ability of the brain, such as memory,
calculation, orientation and communication.
Imaging Tests
Brain changes can also be observed through various imaging techniques such as apositron
emission tomography (PET) scan, a computed tomography (CT) scan and an magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI) test. These tests can assess the brain for any changes in size and
structure, as well as rule out a tumor or other abnormality.
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9. Diagnosis and Treatment
Laboratory Tests
Some physicians will order tests such as blood work or a urinalysis. These tests can screen
for infections or other medical conditions that could hinder your ability to think clearly.
Infections can often cause increased confusion, especially in older adults, so it's
important to eliminate these and other reversible conditions as a cause.
Evaluation for Conditions that Mimic Alzheimer's
The exam should include an evaluation for reversible conditions that can mimic
Alzheimer's disease, such as depression and delirium, and tests to differentiate between
Alzheimer's and other types of dementia such as vascular dementia, Pick's
disease, Parkinson's disease dementia and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
Discussion of Your Overall Health Condition
You may be asked if there are other health conditions that you have been diagnosed with
or any additional symptoms you've been experiencing. If you're at a new doctor's office,
they may request that you have your records sent from your primary care physician ahead
of time so that they know your history and current medical condition.
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10. Treatment
Drug Therapy for Cognitive Symptoms
Cognitive enhancers are medications that attempt to slow the progression of
Alzheimer's symptoms. While these medications appear to improve thought
processes for some people, the effectiveness overall varies greatly. Cognitive
enhancers need to be monitored regularly for side effects and interaction with
other medications.
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11. Treatment
Drug Therapy for Behavioral and Emotional Symptoms
Psychotropic medications are used at times to treat the behavioral and
emotional symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Psychotropic's address the
psychological and emotional aspects of brain functioning.
These drugs can be effective but can also potentially cause severe side effects.
This class of medications is typically used after attempting non-drug therapy
and finding it to be inadequate.
Psychotropic medications include antidepressants, antipsychotics and anti-anxiety
medications, as well as mood stabilizers and hypnotic medications.
These medications are prescribed to address symptoms such
as depression, anxiety, insomnia, hallucinations and paranoia.
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12. Treatment
Non-Drug Approaches
Non-drug approaches focus on treating the behavioral and emotional symptoms of
Alzheimer's by changing the way we understand and interact with the person with
Alzheimer's, These approaches recognize that behavior is often a way of communicating
for those with Alzheimer's. The goal of non-drug approaches is to understand the
meaning of the challenging behaviors and why they are present.
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