Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease is a common type of Dementia. The term “Dementia” is used to describe the loss of memory and trouble handling things such as thinking and reasoning. People with this type of disease have a hard time responding to their daily activities.
Dr. Alois Alzheimer first discovered the “Alzheimer’s Disease” in 1906. Having this condition unable a person to respond likes normal people. Extra care is needed because some parts of their brain control their thoughts and memory.
CAUSES
There is no exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease. Environmental and Lifestyle are factors that contribute to this condition. Alzheimer’s disease is capable of damaging the brain and its brain cells. It can caused a person’s brain to become smaller. There are two types of abnormalities that occur in the brain: Plaques and Tangles.
SYMPTOMS
Memory problems are the first signs of having Alzheimer’s disease. This condition is not normal in aging. A person with this disease may experience the following:
- Memory loss, or unable to remember familiar places
- Asking and repeating the same questions
- Trouble handling money
- Misplacing things that are being used regularly
- Changing mood/mood swings
- Repeating things you do over and over
- Forgetting things and having trouble to remember later
- Trouble to respond in daily activities
- Confusion of time and place
Experiencing the above symptoms doesn’t mean you have Alzheimer’s disease. It is better to consult a Physician. Seeking doctor’s advice may help you develop a plan for your care.
TREATMENT
Alzheimer’s disease has no cure. Medications are useful to help treat mental functions. Caregivers can also help improve the life of a person having this kind of condition. Treatments can be done in different ways:
- Help them to maintain mental function
- Manage their behavioral symptoms
- Delaying the symptoms of the Alzheimer’s Disease
MEDICATIONS
Cholinesterase inhibitors and Memantine (Namenda) are drugs used to treat mental function.
Cholinesterine inhibitors – is a medicine that helps in communicating cell to cell in the brain. These are the common forms of this drug.
- Donepezil (Aricept)
- Galantamine (Razadyne)
- Rivastigmine (Exelon)
Memantine (Namenda) – slows down the progression of the symptoms. It is used to lessen the severe forms of the disease.
Caring for a person with this disease at home can be a hard task to do. Each day brings a new obstacle to the caregivers that cope with the behavioral change of a person. Alzheimer’s disease needs extra care as the disease gets worse day by day.
BURDEN OF ALZHEIMER’S
Alzheimer’s disease has an increasing rate of death, unlike other diseases. This condition has shown to be underreported on death certificates. It’s one of the top 10 causes of death in the US and it’s the 6th leading cause of death among adults.