Archive for the ‘Alzheimers’ Category
Preventing Alzheimer?s disease
The best course of action to take sometimes isn’t clear until you’ve listed and considered your alternatives. The following paragraphs should help clue you in to what the experts think is significant.
When one reaches the later years of one’s life, systems will slow down and bones will weaken. This is the time when you will not be able to do the things that you used to do before or if you were still able to do it, you would not be able to do it with the same speed and strength as you used to before.
That is the sad fact about aging. Things will slow down and eventually, little by little, disappear.
But that is not always the case. For some people, the aging process can speed up especially in the area of the brain.
This is what scientists call Alzheimer’s.
It is a degenerative and progressive disease that targets the brain, particularly the areas that deal with learning and memory. Although it often affects people over the age of 80, there are some who are diagnosed with the problem as early as their 40s and 50s. There are also rare cases when Alzheimer’s attacks at late 20s.
Alzheimer’s Disease is characterized by a progressive memory loss and inability to focus attention on one thing. People with this disease will forget their names, their addresses and will cease to recognize their husbands, children and people who are close to them.
When it is on its later stages, language problems may also happen because of the inability of the person to recall words that are appropriate for what they are going to say. The disease may also result to behavioral changes because of progressive memory loss. There are some patients who don’t remember how to go about their normal functions such as eating, sleeping or brushing their teeth. Some may even forget how to breathe.
This is the reason why most old people dread this disease. It can really be debilitating, robbing you of your life and often times your loved one.
Knowledge can give you a real advantage. To make sure you’re fully informed about Alzheimers, keep reading.
Although nothing has been proven yet, some studies show that doing mental tasks can actually slow down the progression of the disease. For instance, patients who love to answer puzzles and play mental games like chess are slower in their progression compared to other patients with the same degree and case of Alzheimer. Because of this, some scientists believe that Alzheimer’s can be prevented through the use of the mental process.
Below are some ways to prevent Alzheimer’s from settling in.
Learn something new
Old age is not a reason to stop learning new things. You can learn a variety of things, dancing, cooking, singing, a new language, crafts, the arts. There are so many things to choose from. Don the things that you have not done before, things that you never thought, you’ll be doing. Your age should not be hindrance to the things that you want to do.
In addition to enriching your life, learning something new affords a fresh challenge for your brains. This way, your mental processes will be used once again. This keeps the brain cells in shape and sharp.
Play mind games
This is not to say that you should be scheming and plotting, stirring the boat for the members of your family. Mind games here refer to the tamer kind, crossword puzzles, sudoku. These are ways to sharpen those mental skills and memory. This also allows you to practice or be familiar with words and things once again, lessening the chance of you forgetting them.
About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO
What Exactly is Alzheimer?s?
Are you looking for some inside information on Alzheimers? Here’s an up-to-date report from Alzheimers experts who should know.
As uncommon as the name of the disease sounds, its prevalence and incidence rates are not. In fact, almost four million people in the United States are affected by this problem. All can be affected, men or women, across all social status and economic position in life.
Alzheimer’s is a progressive and degenerative problem under the umbrella of diseases called dementia. It is characterized by disorientation and impaired memory. It is apparently caused by an attack in the brain, affecting one’s memory, thinking skills and judgment. Most patients will experience a change in language ability, in the way they use their mental processes and of course their behavior.
While anybody can be affected by this problem, only those that are older than age 65 experience the lagging in their thinking skills. Still, there are some who gets Alzheimer’s even when they are just 30 years old but these cases are very rare and can only account for a small percentage of the total number of cases. One out of 10 people over the age 65 has Alzheimer’s and nearly half of these patients are over 85 years old. In a national survey conducted in the United States, almost 19 million Americans have one family member who suffers from this dreaded problem.
In addition to old age, family history of dementia can also predispose someone to the disease. This is because Alzheimer’s is said to be caused by a problem in the genetic mutations. Still, when you study the cases, Alzheimer’s is commonly the result of a host of other factors besides genes. In fact, environmental factors such as hobbies and mental pursuits are things that can help prevent the onset of the problem.
Now that we’ve covered those aspects of Alzheimers, let’s turn to some of the other factors that need to be considered.
What is difficult with Alzheimer’s is the fact that its symptoms are basically the same with ordinary signs of old age. At the beginning, there will be some memory loss. The person with Alzheimer’s will also experience confusion and disorientation even with things that they are used to doing. The trick is to make sure that one can recognize what a normal memory loss is against something of Alzheimer’s caliber.
Often, there will be a gradual memory loss. They will find it hard to read or to write or to think clearly. After which they will experience a decline in the ability to perform tasks that are already automatic and routinary. Believe it or not, in cases that are already in the terminal stage, the patient may even forget how to brush their teeth or how to use a spoon and fork, something that is really pretty basic with a lot of people.
This is one example of the difference of Alzheimer’s from ordinary memory loss. Forgetfulness will not affect tasks that are routinary. There will also be difficulty in learning new things and in memorizing things. Some patients may even forget the language that they are speaking with while others will no longer recognize their family. Personality will change in terms of the way they communicate with other people and the way they behave.
There is actually no change in personality per se but because of the problems in their memory, they may appear aloof and suspicious perhaps because they cannot recognize the people that they know before. Some may even become extremely fearful and passive for the simple fact that they cannot remember you. As the disease worsens, the patient will then become so incapable of taking care of themselves that they will require help even in eating and in sleeping.
About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO
What to look out for in Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s disease is a slow brain disorder the eats away the brain functions little by little. The disease develops completely between seven to 10 years. As it progresses, the disease affects various brain functions like memory, movement, judgment, abstract reasoning and even one’s behavior.
Because of the long development stage of the disease, Alzheimer’s has been categorized into three levels which described its progression. These are mild, moderate and severe. These categories defined the disease from early (mild) to middle (moderate) until the final (severe) stages of the disease.
During the early stages of the disease, the symptoms are less noticeable and are often times left unchecked and considered trivial by family members and even the patient themselves. Among the early and classic signs Alzheimer’s disease is the gradual loss of short-term memory.
At times, they find to be at lost while performing normal activities. Or they might get disoriented and get lost in places that they have been before. Also, at this stage, people afflicted with the disease may experience lapses of judgment and slight changes in personality. Mood swings and personality changes will start to worsen as the disease progress.
Moreover, attention span is reduced because of the presence of the brain disorder. People with Alzheimer’s tend to be less motivated to complete activities or tasks. Furthermore, they become more stubborn and would oppose changes and new challenges set forth before them.
These are the general conditions or symptoms of people with the disease. The symptoms vary from person to person. Moreover, some other symptoms include speech problems, failure to identify or recognize objects, no recalling how to use simple, ordinary things like a pencil, and not remembering to turn off the lights, stove, or even lock doors and windows. As the disease progresses so do the symptoms.
Think about what you’ve read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about Alzheimers? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs?
However, if one acquires or notice the presence of some of the symptoms it does not necessarily mean that one has already been afflicted with the disease. Loss of memory for example might be just a normal cause of aging or other normal factors. Memory loss in Alzheimer’s is more frequent.
People with the disease will more frequently forget words or names during conversations. And because they become conscious of their forgetfulness, they tend to avoid conversations and would rather keep quiet in order to avoid mistakes and embarrassments. They will then become withdrawn which can cause a myriad of other problems like depression and anti-social behaviors.
Other things that might happen are the discovery of things in odd places. One might find books inside freezers, clothes in dishwasher and even plates in washing machines. People with Alzheimer’s will ask questions repeatedly up to the point that it becomes irritating. They can be provoked quite easily and can surprisingly flare up in anger.
Even though no cure has yet been discovered or developed for Alzheimer’s, there are ways that have been created to delay the progression of the disease. Earlier symptoms of the disease respond well to various treatments.
Because the rate of progression differs from person to person, severe dementia occurs within five years to a decade after diagnosis. Because of present treatments and medications, some people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s can live more than 10 years after diagnosis. Some even live up to 20 years after the initial diagnosis was made.
It is a fact that most people with Alzheimer’s don’t die of the disease itself, but of infections and other tertiary diseases like pneumonia, or urinary tract infection or complications resulting from concussions.
Of course, it’s impossible to put everything about Alzheimers into just one article. But you can’t deny that you’ve just added to your understanding about Alzheimers, and that’s time well spent.
About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO
Symptoms of Alzheimer’s
When word Alzheimer’s is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is memory loss. This assumption is correct given that the doctor’s have determined this to be a disorder that usually happens to old folk.
There are many symptoms of Alzheimer’s and doctors often associate it with the seven stages. There is no cause of alarm yet in the first two stages since even the smartest people tend to forget things every so often.
The first two stages may last for four years. However, when this happens more frequently, the patient could already be in the third or fourth stage and this is just going to get worse. A simple example could be if the individual is unable to complete a simple task that was easily done in the past like doing some basic arithmetic.
People will definitely notice the changes. This is the reason some family members take shifts watching over the loved one or get a nurse to watch over the person.
The fifth stage is better known as moderate Alzheimer’s because aside from not being able to recall names or do things without assistance, the individual will become disoriented and may at times get lost.
One precaution often being taken is for the patient to wear an ID card in the neck or placed in the pocket. This contains the name, address and contact person of who should be called when this happens.
The sixth stage of Alzheimer’s is when the person also begins to have mood swings. The patient may be jolly to talking to other people when suddenly everything changes and the attitude is now hostile to whoever is there.
Hopefully the information presented so far has been applicable. You might also want to consider the following:
The worse part about the disorder during this stage is that the person will act like a baby. Tantrums may be thrown but the worse part is seeing the patient defecate on his or herself. The caretaker will have to clean up the mess as though the person was an infant and are advised to use adult diapers, which is more convenient when cleaning up the mess.
The seventh stage of Alzheimer’s is not that bad anymore. This is because the body’s systems will slowly shut down. The patient won’t speak or do anything and will usually just stare into space.
It is like the person gave up the will to live. The body may be there but the mind or the soul has gone off to another place.
Anyone who is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s will have less than 10 years left to live. Doctors only catch on in the third and fourth stages since the symptoms of short-term memory loss are hardly noticeable and often attributed to aging.
What can people do for those who have Alzheimer’s? Unfortunately, there is not that much anyone can do because there is no cure yet for this disorder. There are drugs available that can only slow down the process before it gets worse but those who care are just delaying the inevitable.
Research shows that there are more than four million people in the country that are suffering from this disease. The figure will go higher as the baby boom generation also reaches the same age.
As long as there are drugs that can delay the process, doctors may be able to buy a little more time so that the person may live to see the day that a cure has been made.
Knowing enough about Alzheimers to make solid, informed choices cuts down on the fear factor. If you apply what you’ve just learned about Alzheimers, you should have nothing to worry about.
About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO
Treatment and Care for Alzheimers Patients
Many breakthroughs and important discoveries have been found throughout the years of research and testing regarding the cure and treatment of Alzheimers disease. Despite that though, there continues to be no known cure or prevention for Alzheimers. Furthermore, once the disease has started, there can be no repairing or slowing down the damage of abnormal deposits of proteins in the brain.
People with Alzheimers have abnormal deposits of protein in their brains. These brain protein coat the brain and interacts with the neurons, neurotransmitters and nerves, causing damage and massive atrophy. Eventually, the brain will continue to shrink and the otherwise wrinkled surface will start to smoothen out. This is basically what causes the degeneration in the mind and in the person’s body.
There however are some drugs and treatments that seem to relieve symptomatic conditions slightly in some cases. These drugs and Alzheimers treatments are especially important during the onset and early stages of the illness when the sufferer can still be aware of what he or she is going through.
For instance, a person with Alzheimers at the early stages may suffer from depression or restlessness and certain drugs and Alzheimers treatments can be administered to help with this somewhat. Also, there have been some cases where memory loss at the beginning of dementia can still be improved somehow. Other possible symptoms that can be momentarily alleviated are sleep disorders and hallucinations.
Beyond these, the proper Alzheimers treatment of caregivers for patients is a highly specialized skill and needs to be administered by a professional. This will mean that the patient will eventually have to be entrusted in institutionalized care for the proper Alzheimers treatment needed.
Of course, loved ones of the Alzheimers patient will want to administer care personally but the care and Alzheimers treatment needed by the patient will be full time and specialized so it is best for a professional caregiver to ensure dignity is maintained throughout the course of the person’s disease.
Despite the present lack of Alzheimers treatment and cure, hope should never be abandoned. After all the technological advancements that have been made in the field of science and medicine, it probably won’t be long before the proper Alzheimers treatment and cure will be discovered.
If not the cure or Alzheimers treatment, then perhaps the methods of prevention against Alzheimers will be found to help other individuals not fall into this predicament. Perhaps in the near future, there will be vaccines for Alzheimers disease much like we all have vaccines against diseases like small pox and the like. All those diseases in the past posed a challenge to humanity then just like Alzheimers does now.
In the meantime, if you or someone you know and care about suffers from Alzheimers, it is best to consult a professional for possible options for instance for eventual institutional care, or for support groups or counseling advice that can be given to the patient and to his or her friends and relatives.
It seems like new information is discovered about something every day. And the topic of Alzheimers is no exception. Keep reading to get more fresh news about Alzheimers.
There may be some misconceptions and even some difficulty in accepting the situation of this disease whether it is on the side of the patient or from the people around him or her. For instances such as these, the right counseling and guidance is needed as part of the proper Alzheimers treatment.
About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO
Finding Out Early On About Alzheimers
So what is Alzheimers really all about? The following report includes some fascinating information about Alzheimers–info you can use, not just the old stuff they used to tell you.
Alzheimers is an extremely debilitating disease. Presently, there are no known cure or treatment for this irreversible threat to a mature person’s mental and personal health. Once a person has been diagnosed with Alzheimers, the duration and course of the disease will vary from five up to twenty years.
Within the course of the disease, the sufferer will go through a whole range of deterioration from slight short term memory loss to the loss of normal bodily functions that cause complications and infections that then turns into death.
While the prospect of Alzheimers disease is truly grim, there continues to be steady breakthroughs from experts that help hope persist that eventually, prevention and cure for Alzheimers may be found. Before that though, there are lot of questions to be answered and the race to find the cure continues.
Despite this, it is important to take note of the early signs of Alzheimers, for friends loved ones and yourself. Taking note of the early signs of Alzheimers will help everyone involved prepare and understand all that is entailed in arranging for care and what to expect as the illness progresses.
It is important to be on the lookout for early signs of Alzheimers if you or someone you care for is nearing the age of 65 or if there is known cases al Alzheimers in the family.
Below are some early signs of Alzheimers to look out for.
Downscale
While memory loss is commonly mentioned as the one of the early signs of Alzheimers, it has been noted that unexplained and sudden weight loss usually occurs within individuals who suffer from Alzheimers. They have found that the weight loss happens way before any actually memory loss begins.
If you or someone you care about begins to lose weight unexpectedly, consult your doctor for probable cause and if there are no reasons found then you should have tests for Alzheimers done.
Now that we’ve covered those aspects of Alzheimers, let’s turn to some of the other factors that need to be considered.
Forgetfulness
The most common early sign of Alzheimers is the loss of short term memory. More often than not, at the very early stages, this short term memory loss often goes unnoticed so it is important to pay close attention and see if it is normal memory loss or is it an early sign of Alzheimers.
While everyone will forget something once in a while, but Alzheimers sufferer never recall back what has been lost. So pay attention for peculiar incidences of short term memory loss that result in the distress, however much slight, in everyday routine.
Disability
Alzheimers will rob one of the ability to do the things that used to come second nature to them. It is as if the individual with Alzheimers can no longer remember or are familiar with tasks or actions that used to be part of their everyday routine. Watch out for this telltale sale that is quite an indicator included in the early signs of Alzheimers disease.
More Changes
Another early sign of Alzheimers is the increasing problem of communication. Often, people with Alzheimers will have a difficult time communicating because they begin to lose their ability to handle language. They begin to forget simple words and terms and their sentence construction begin to be difficult to understand.
There can also be a change in behavior or mood that is not normal for the person with Alzheimers disease. Over and above moodiness, a person with Alzheimers can switch moods or behavior without reason.
There’s a lot to understand about Alzheimers. We were able to provide you with some of the facts above, but there is still plenty more to write about in subsequent articles.
About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO
Who are you? Alzheimer’s symptoms
From the German psychiatrist who first diagnosed the disease, Alzheimer’s is a fatal disease that has both no known cause and cure. There are treatments that help prevent the disease to develop into its complete form. Plus medications already exists which could assist patients to manage their agitation, depression, hallucinations or delusions which could manifest during the later stages of the disease.
There are a number of symptoms which help diagnose the disease. The most prominent of which is memory loss. What seems to be a simple lapse in memory could be the start of Alzheimer’s disease. Loss of memory in Alzheimer’s is manifested from the more than unusual fluctuating forgetfulness to short-term memory loss.
Later, the patient will start to forget familiar things and well-known skills. They will start to forget names, objects, and persons even those that are close to them. Alzheimer’s memory loss is often accompanied by aphasia, disorientation and disinhibition. Aside from forgetfulness and amnesia, some refer to Alzheimer’s related memory loss as memory decay, memory decline, or memory impairment (Loring, 1999).
One, however, should not conclude that all memory loss is caused by Alzheimer’s disease. There are two basic causes of memory loss, namely normal or age related memory loss and the abnormal type. It is normal that middle age and older people begin to forget a number of things. Their ability to remember is often times measured on a standardized scale.
If their memory scores fall within the designated cutoff, their memory loss is due to normal and age-related causes. Meanwhile, if they fail to pass the scores it means that their memory loss is caused by not mere age-related reasons but by abnormal, or age-inappropriate, memory disease or impairment instead. One, therefore, needs to let professional medical workers to isolate and determine if he/she got Alzheimer’s disease.
Those of you not familiar with the latest on Alzheimers now have at least a basic understanding. But there’s more to come.
Aside from the early symptom of memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease at the early stage could also change the patient’s behavior. And as the disease develops, the patient will loose more and more control over body functions such as affecting the way the person thinks and respond. With the effects on the brain’s cognitive functions, the patient will have trouble talking, will find skilled movements troublesome to do and hard to accomplish, and will start slowing down in terms of movements.
The patient will become indecisive and will start having trouble in decision-making processes and planning stages of human activities. These losses of memory and cognitive functions are related to the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. The two lobes are becoming disconnected from the limbic system due to the disease.
Also, part of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s is mood swings and outbursts of violence or excessive passivity. The later stages will be more horrible. People with Alzheimer’s will later on start to loose bowel movement as well as muscle control and mobility. Alzheimer’s usually develops and become fatal within approximately 7?10 years.
Since Dr. Alzheimer diagnosed the disease in 1901, there have been a lot of medical discoveries and tons of results from research studies and medical investigations that were found to be beneficial in preventing or delaying Alzheimer’s disease.
Studies found out that exercise helps lessen the risk of contracting the disease. Scientists have found significant findings which indicate that having high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and low levels of the vitamin folate can increase one’s risk of acquiring Alzheimer’s disease.
I hope that reading the above information was both enjoyable and educational for you. Your learning process should be ongoing–the more you understand about any subject, the more you will be able to share with others.
About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO
Alzheimers and Dementia
Are you looking for some inside information on Alzheimers? Here’s an up-to-date report from Alzheimers experts who should know.
Alzheimers and dementia are strongly linked because Alzheimers disease is the most common type of dementia. Dementia is the constant evolution of the atrophy of the brain’s cognitive functions. In the case of Alzheimers, abnormal protein build up happen in the brain which interferes with its normal functions through interactions with the brain nerves and neurotransmitters that cause these elements to whither and die.
Alzheimers and dementia are attributed with progressive memory loss and other functions that are attributed to brain deterioration. Natural brain atrophy and cognitive function loss is a normal experience by humans as we age. However, Alzheimers type of dementia is way beyond that of what is considered the norm.
Alzheimers type dementia is extremely debilitating and the disease can run its course from as fast as 5 years but some cases stretch on to 20 years. The disruption of Alzheimers type dementia can be very confusing and difficult. What’s really hard to accept is that as of the moment, there are no known cures or successful treatments available for Alzheimers patients.
Of all the types of dementia, only a very tiny percentage is reversible and Alzheimers is not one of them. Once it attacks, there can be no slowing or stopping down. All one can do is be prepared for the onslaught. In this case, it is also important the patient’s friends and loved one understand and know all about Alzheimers and dementia so that they too can be allowed to cope with this situation.
If you suffer from the very early stages of Alzheimers type dementia, it can be very difficult for you to accept what is happening to you while you are aware of your situation. Often times, patients can create very difficult situations for themselves as well as for the people around them. For instance, people with Alzheimers type dementia can have the same conversation with the same person over and over again without realizing it.
Perhaps a person with Alzheimers type dementia can forget that they have just previously called a loved one to tell them something only to put the phone down and call right back to talk about the exact same thing. Situations like these can cause difficulties that is why it is important for people with Alzheimers type dementia to have the proper care.
I trust that what you’ve read so far has been informative. The following section should go a long way toward clearing up any uncertainty that may remain.
Loss of correct judgment will inadvertently follow as the Alzheimers type dementia progresses so it might be prudent for patients to be supervised all the time. Eventually, patients will have to depend exclusively on specialized care for all their needs. This makes it important for patients and their loved ones to choose the right facility for this process.
It is important that people with Alzheimers type dementia be treated with respect and dignity all throughout the duration of the disease. While the patient has not lost all ability to make judgments and remember important things, they should be consulted in terms of what facilities or type of professional care they think they would benefit from.
As a loved one of someone who has Alzheimers type dementia, it can be very hard and painful to witness the progressing of the disease. This may cause some negative emotions and a lot of grief that may be unwittingly projected at the patient.
However, at the onset of the disease, when the patient is still conscious and aware, they can go through an even more painful process of accepting their disease.
Now you can be a confident expert on Alzheimers. OK, maybe not an expert. But you should have something to bring to the table next time you join a discussion on Alzheimers.
About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his new GVO affiliate site: GVO
Drugs to Fight Alzheimer’s
Current info about Alzheimers is not always the easiest thing to locate. Fortunately, this report includes the latest Alzheimers info available.
Although there is no known cure yet for Alzheimer’s disease, there are already a number of drugs available worldwide that can help slow down a patient’s cognitive deterioration. The main aim of these Alzheimer’s medications is to try and improve cognitive ability or the person’s capability to think, perceive, judge and recognize.
There are currently five drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that can be used to treat Alzheimer’s. There is ongoing research done all the time to test the effectiveness of such medications since they do not serve as a cure-all for the disease.
These medications may not have the same effects on all patients that are suffering from Alzheimer’s. But such prescription drugs can have significant effects on some of the patients with Alzheimer’s disease and should be given consideration as a possible treatment.
The 5 FDA Approved Medications are:
Aricept
Cognex
Exelon
Razadyne
Namenda
The first four drugs listed above belong to a group of drugs known as Cholinesterase Inhibitors. They work by trying to delay the break down of a substance known as acetylcholine in the brain which helps in bridging communication between nerve cells and has an important role in a person’s memory.
Nameda on the other hand acts on another neurotransmitter called glutamate and shields the brain from then said substance which contributes to the death of brain cells in people with Alzheimer’s disease. This drug is more effective in treating moderate to severe forms of Alzheimer’s disease, improving the day to day life of the person with Alzheimer’s disease.
The most common side effects associated with the drug Nameda include dizziness, confusion, constipation, headache and skin rashes. Some patients may experience less common side effects such as tiredness, back pain, high blood pressure, insomnia, hallucinations, vomiting and occasional shortness of breath.
Knowledge can give you a real advantage. To make sure you’re fully informed about Alzheimers, keep reading.
The drugs Aricept, Exelon and Razadyne are seen to be most effective in treating the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. This group of prescription drugs has been shown to have some modest effect in slowing down the degeneration of a patient’s cognitive abilities.
These drugs can also help in trying to reduce certain behavioral problems usually exhibited by people suffering from Alzheimer’s. When these drugs are administered effectively on an Alzheimer’s patient, they can significantly improve one’s quality of life and more able to cope up with the disease.
Alzheimer’s patients taking these medications may experience some side effects which may not be the same for all patients. Common side effects observed in patients using the drug Aricept include nausea, vomiting, excessive tiredness, sleeping troubles and muscle cramps.
Less frequent observed side effects of the drug are headaches and dizziness with rare cases of patients suffering from anorexia, gastric or duodenal ulcers, gastro-intestinal hemorrhage, bladder overflow obstruction, liver damage, convulsions, heart problems and psychiatric disturbances while using Aricept as medication.
The usual side effects seen in using Exelon as treatment for Alzheimer’s are nausea, vomiting, weight loss, stomach upset and fatigue. Less usual side effects observed with the use of the said drug are abdominal pain, sweating, diarrhea, headaches, tremor, and psychiatric disturbances such as anxiety or depression with rare cases of patients experiencing gastro-intestinal bleeding.
The drug Cognex is used less frequently for Alzheimer’s treatment as it can cause serious liver damage to most patients. Other side effects of the drug include nausea and vomiting. Some patients may also experience some abdominal pain, sore muscles, headache, dizziness, rapid breathing, increased urination, insomnia, runny nose or mouth, swelling in legs and feet when taking Cognex. Some of the most severe side effects associated with using Cornex are liver damage, heart problems and seizures.
The common side effects often reported with the use of Razadyne are nausea, vomiting, appetite loss and weight loss. Less common are fatigue, dizziness, tremor, headaches, abdominal pain, urinary tract infection, blood in urine, runny nose. There are no serious side effects with this drug.
Don’t limit yourself by refusing to learn the details about Alzheimers. The more you know, the easier it will be to focus on what’s important.
About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his new GVO affiliate site: GVO
Origins unknown, the battle with Alzheimer’s continues
One could trace back the history of Alzheimer’s disease from a presentation and lecture made by a German psychiatrist in 1906 during 37th Meeting of Southwest German Psychiatrists held in Tübingen.
Dr. Alois Alzheimer presented his findings on a woman who had died after years of having memory problems and confusion.
When Dr. Alzheimer autopsied the patient’s brain, he found thick deposits of neuritic plaques outside and around the nerve cells. He also found a lot of twisted bands of fibers or neurofibrillary tangles inside the nerve cells.
Today, medical specialists need to find the presence of the same plaques and tangles at autopsy in order to have a conclusive diagnosis that Alzheimer’s disease indeed caused the disease. And due to this lecture and achievement in research and studies, the medical community has bestowed the honor of naming the disease after Dr. Alzheimer.
However, Dr. Alzheimer’s work only signaled the start of years of medical research and studies which could only resolve the mysteries of the disease by so much. Up until now, Alzheimer’s disease has still unknown origin and remains to have no cure. At first, the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease was limited for individuals between the ages of 45-65 since the symptoms of pre-senile dementia due to the histopathologic process are more common and prominent during this age.
However, during the 1970s and early 1980s, the term Alzheimer’s disease began to be used to refer to patients of all ages that manifest the same symptoms.
Statistics show that around 350,000 new cases of Alzheimer’s disease are being diagnosed each year. It is estimated that by 2050, there are 4.5 million Americans afflicted by the disease. Recent studies have shown that there is an increase risk of contracting and developing Alzheimer’s as one grows older.
If you find yourself confused by what you’ve read to this point, don’t despair. Everything should be crystal clear by the time you finish.
It has been reported that 5 percent of Americans between the ages of 65 to 74 suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. Also, half of those in the 85 years and older age group are more likely to have the disease.
Generics have also been seen as a factor in the development of the disease. Scientists have found out that mutations on chromosomes 9 and 19 have been associated with the later stages of Alzheimer’s. However, not everyone that manifests the mutations results to having the disease. Up until now, the relationship between genetics and late-onset Alzheimer’s is still a grey area.
Meanwhile, other research have associated trauma as a factor that increases the risk of acquiring the disease. There are also evidences which suggest that lack of exercise increases the risk factor of Alzheimer’s. It is important to avoid high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and low levels folate in order to decrease the risk of developing the disease.
There are basically three stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Stage 1 or Mild Stage is the early of the disease. At this stage patients become less energetic and will experience slight memory loss. Often times, the symptoms at this stage are either go unnoticed or are ignored as but trivial or normal occurrences.
At Stage 2 or Moderate stage, the patient needs to be assisted in some complicated tasks and memory loss is no highly noticeable. The final stage is the severest stage. Because the disease already progresses too far this point, the patient is unable to perform simple tasks and will lose the ability to walk or eat without help.
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