It is usually in the 60's that symptoms of Alzheimer's disease can start appearing. Very often they are dismissed as just 'getting old'. In many cases unfortunately, these symptoms have much more serious consequences thanjust getting forgetful or just getting old. The first alarming signal is when the person affected has marked difficulty in doing simple tasks which previously they performed with ease. These can range from opening a car door to getting a meal ready or using a simple household appliance. As the disease progresses into the later stages, the person will display behavioural symptoms. Loss of memory and a failure to grasp new things together with anxiety and depression are common symptoms. Some persons suffer from hallucinations. Diagnosis of this disease is never simple or straightforward and will start by excluding other possibilities. The patient will be asked to take a number of laboratory tests such as medical tests and laboratory measurements. The actual diagnosis can take up to several weeks in some difficult cases although sometimes just one day will be sufficient. The brain contains a vital chemical compound called acetylcholine which preserves the neurons in the brain. When the disease starts to take hold, another enzyme starts to attack - this is called acetylcholinesterase and will destroy the healthier enzymes. The drugs are aimed to stave off this attack and preserve the healthy enzymes. But these drugs have some side effects and the results vary a lot but in many cases, they do slow down the disease. Some doctors prescribe the NSAIDs which are the nonsteroidal inflammatory drugs which are very well known, such as aspirin and ibuprofen. They have had mixed results too but do offer some protection from the nasty enzymes mentioned above. Gingko biloba is a well known plant extract used for many purposes but again, this has dangerous side effects although it has been shown to improve some brain function. Estrogen, a hormonal substance, is prescribed but there is a risk that it may cause strokes How long does the disease last ? The course of the disease and how rapidly the Alzheimers symptoms progress from simple forgetfulness to severe dementia, can take anything from five to ten years. About 70% of the 4 million with Alzheimers disease (in the USA) live at home receiving care from family members. Although there is no cure currently for the disease, the primary Alzheimer treatment is medication as well as concerned care giving. While the disease progresses, the patient and family members will be traumatised and emotionally drained especially as in the very late stages, the patient just cannot communicate with his or her loved ones. This is very often hard to bear and adds to the trauma for the carers. Can we prevent this debilitating disease and what can we do about it ? Diet has been shown to be decisive and recent research just published shows that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, with whole grains, fish, garlic, olive oil and a little red meat will reduce your chances of contracting this disease - even by up to 60%. The Mediterranean Diet has been studied extensively for this very reason and now research has given it an accolade that very few other diets can even aspire to win.
Please Rate this Article 5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5
Not yet Rated
