About Alzheimer's Disease
This section is here to help you learn about and understand Alzheimer's Disease.
What is Alzheimer's Disease
- Alzheimer's Disease (pronounced AHLZ-hi-merz) is one of several disorders that cause gradual loss of brain cells. German Physician Dr. Alois Alzheimer first described the disease in 1906. Research has shown that it is the leading cause of dementia.
- Alzheimer's Disease is rightly seen as a disease of older people-affecting 6% of over 65s and 25% of over 80s. However it can also affect 1% of people in their 40s and 50s, sometimes younger.
- From diagnosis, a person can live anything between two and twenty years, though older people may die from other causes first.
- Alzheimer's Disease is a progressive condition and it damages individual brain cells one by one until it eventually destroys all the nerve cells.
How does Alzheimer's Disease affect people?
The first symptoms are:
- Short term memory
- Loss of and difficulty with language
- Difficulty with simple tasks such as using the phone, cooking meals or managing money
- Apathy and irritability
What happens as the disease progresses?
- Conversation becomes more difficult
- Getting dressed and personal hygiene can become impossible
- Wandering becomes a big worry
- They live in the past
- Finally Incontinence and immobility is a major problem
What are the 10 warning signs of Alzheimer's Disease?
- Memory Loss
- Difficulty in performing everyday tasks
- Changes in mood and behaviour
- Changes in personality
- Disorientation in familiar surroundings
- Problems with language
- Poor or decreased judgement
- Misplacing things regularly
- Difficulty solving problems or doing puzzles
- Loss of interest in starting projects or doing things
How do I get a diagnosis?
Making a diagnosis is often difficult especially in the early stages.
Early diagnosis is very important as it allows person to make best use of available treatments and it also gives family and friends time to prepare for the difficult days ahead.
Early diagnosis is also important from a legal perspective. It means the person with Alzheimer's Disease can be provided for with an "Enduring Power of Attorney" while they are still capable of a legal decision.
It is important to get a proper diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease in order to rule out:
- Infection
- Vitamin deficiency
- Severe constipation
- Thyroid disease
- Brain Tumour
- Depression
- Side effects of drugs
Immediate Action
Contact your GP who will normally- Record a full history of the person's medical and family background
- Carry out a physical examination
- Examine a urine specimen
- Take blood tests
- He will probably be referring person to a Specialist such as a Consultant Geriatrician or Neurologist
Specialist will
- Confirm history of the person's medical and family background
- Carry out Memory Tests to observe their behaviour and their ability to cope
- May arrange a Brain Scan(CT or MRI) to identify any changes in the person's brain
- When all test results are available a diagnosis will be confirmed and a report sent to the GP
Is there a cure?
The short answer is no, though progress has been made in our understanding of the disease and needs of people with Alzheimer's Disease.
Since 1994 four drugs developed specifically for management of Alzheimer's Disease in Ireland:
- Aricept
- Ebixa
- Exelon
- Reminyl
Ebixa is a new drug developed for Alzheimer Disease which will be launched 1st November this year. It is not a cure but in recent clinical trials was able to slow the progress of Alzheimer Disease in the Moderate to Severe stages of the disease.
