Alzheimers
In America today, there are 5.3 million people who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. The high number of diagnoses is not only because Americans are living longer lives, but also because it’s becoming easier to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, with the help of finely honed testing tools like brain imaging techniques, neurological exams, and tests that assess levels of intellectual functioning (like the mini mental state examination).
Because of these tests, patients and their families can become more informed about the progression of the disease, and take a more active part in treating it. A crucial part of this treatment is understanding the course that the disease will take, and the factors that might contribute to its development.
While nobody knows the exact cause of Alzheimer’s, doctors know that there are a number of risk factors, including age, genetics, and a history of injury to the head or skull. On a more microscopic level, the disease involves the gradual deterioration and death of neurons in the brain, in conjunction with high numbers of amyloid plaques and tangles in the neural matter. This process of cell death leads to the symptoms of dementia, including extreme forgetfulness, loss of language abilities, and alterations in judgment or personality.
Gradually, these symptoms will get worse, and will finally result in death. To slow down the progression of the disease, doctors recommend a number of steps. First, drugs like cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine can help to minimize neuron death in the brain, by increasing or decreasing the levels of specific neurotransmitters. Secondly, counseling can help every member of a patient’s family, by providing a number of coping strategies. These strategies include the ability to ask questions calmly and constructively, and the ability to respond to one another in affirming and positive ways.
Additionally, the help of a trained medical professional can be instrumental in deciding when to move your loved one to a care facility, and what levels of medications should be given at what times. Although a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease can be scary, the best course of action is to become educated about the course of the disease, and about the steps that can be taken to slow down its progress. Hopefully, with the help of the medical community and other support organizations, every affected family can arrive at a workable treatment plan that fits their particular situation.