Understanding & Approaching the Alzheimer Patients

Abstract

          Alzheimer disease is the most common form of senile dementia, account for 60-80% of dementia cases. Alois Alzheimer, a German psychiatrist discovered  Alzheimer disease in 1906, so his name was used for the disease.

          The dementia symptoms of  Alzheimer disease gradually worsen over a number of years. In its early stage, memory loss with the physician determination the differential diagnosis from memory lossas naturally aging by medical evaluation  including a physical and neurological exam, mental status testing, blood test, brain scan and microscopic examination of brain tissue. As the symptom is progressing, the mood and personalities of the patients change; confusion, irritability, aggression, depression and emotion. Loss the ability to carry on a conversation, sensation and feeling loss, then loss their ability to respond to the environment. In the  late stage, The patient will loss all their physical functions and die. Alzheimer patients live an average of 8 years after their symptoms become noticeable to others, but survival can range from 4 to 20 years depending on age and health conditions.

          There are 3 hypothesis explaining the causes of Alzheimer disease, first hypothesis based on the depletion of acetylcholine. The second hypothesis based on Amyloid beta accumulation and forming the Amyloid plaques that will obstruct the neuronal signals between neurons. The third hypothesis involved with Tau protein defection, causing neurofibrillary tangles accumulation in the neurons, destructing the neuronal transportation pathway and leading to death of neurons.

          Currently, there is no curative treatment for Alzheimer disease. Drugs are used primarily to slow the progression. The risk for development of Alzheimer disease increase with age, most individuals with the disease are age 65 or older and the developing of Alzheimer disease double every 5 years after age 65. After age 85, the risk reaches nearly 50 percent. Alzheimer association set the diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer disease. The diagnosis requires clinical examination both physical and neurological exam, documented by results of mental status test and the diagnosis can be confirmed only by microscopic examination of tissue obtained from a cerebral biopsy or at autopsy.Caregivers of Alzheimer patients should understand and accept the symptom change in each stage, help their daily living activities, prevent accidents, care for both physical and mental health, concern with regular check-up and the caregivers should also take good care of themselves.