by Grettel V.

Created on: March 12, 2008   Last Updated: April 24, 2008

At least once, everybody has heard of Alzheimer's disease. Do we really know what are we talking about? This unfortunately common disorder was named after the physician Dr. Alois Alzheimer, who first presented a case of it. Today it is the most frequent cause of dementia and the seventh cause of death in United States.

What are the Alzheimer's disease symptoms? How can we know that a person has this illness? As it is characteristic of other types of dementia, the onset is slow. There are 3 stages, that doesn't mean that a particular person has to go through all the stages in an orderly manner. In the early stage the main symptoms are mild memory loss, short attention span, subtle changes in personality and behavior; the person begins to forget where he or she left something or may not be able to find the correct word, it can interfere with the ability to function at work. There may be problems traveling to new places, making judgments and, a very important thing, the person begins to wander which is a potential danger.

In the middle stage, we find severe impairment of intellectual functions, complete disorientation, depression or anxiety, inability to communicate and incontinence. In the late stage, the person is completely incapacitated and dependent on others.

Where to go when the disease is suspected? The best thing to do, as early as possible, is to go to the primary physician. Then the person can be referred to a specialist or can be followed by the primary care doctor. The diagnosis is done by ruling out other disorders that cause similar symptoms. When the diagnosis is finally done, the moment has come to prepare this person and the family for hard transit through this illness.

Treatments There is no known cure for Alzheimer's disease and there is no way to stop the progression of brain damage. But there are some things that can be done. First, let's talk about some Alzheimer's medications that are available and the doctor can prescribe to relieve or delay the onset of symptoms. Donepezil (Aricept), Rivastigmine (Exelon), Galantamine (Razadyne) increase a neurotransmitter in the brain important for memory and learning. Memantine (Namenda) regulates another substance within the brain. Some doctors prescribe Vitamin E which is an antioxidant.

The person with Alzheimer's and the family cannot face the disease alone. Once the problem is identified, arrangements have to be done while the person is lucid about financial and medical decisions before the later stage of the disease arrives, the patient's care has to be discussed and also it is recommendable to enroll the affected individual in the Safe Return program through the Alzheimer's Association, because it is usual for these patients to get lost.

Where to look for Alzheimer information and resources? The health care provider can help, another people affected directly or with an ill relative can share their experiences and I personally recommend exploring the information provided by Alzheimer's Association at www.alz.org, and Alzheimer's disease Education and Referral Center at www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers where answers to many questions can be found. Remember, it's a hard disease to fight, don't do it alone.

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