What Is Alzheimers?
June 25th, 2009 Posted by: admin
This disease has become the most discussed of all types of dementia. Estimated at affecting 1 in 10 people over the age of 65 Alzheimer’s affects the memory centers of the mind.
Although discovered just over a century ago by Alois Alzheimer a German Physician, it is only during the last 30 years that this disease has started to have more research carried out. Studies show that your greatest risk of acquiring Alzheimer’s is advancing age. Often, a person experiencing their first signs of Alzheimer’s is unable or unwilling to admit it to themselves or anyone else.
General measures for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease are the same as for all dementias. Some drugs can now slow down and sometimes improve the symptoms but so far no treatment has been discovered that can cure the disorder. The mental abilities of an Alzheimer’s disease sufferer can be improved anything up to six months with the use of prescribed medication like Donepezil, Tacrine, and Rivastigmine.
A new drug, Memantine is helping to slow down the deterioration process during the later stages and is a derivative of the well known anti-influenza drug Amantadine. With more than four fifths of Memantine excreted through the kidneys, the side effects are low but it is the first drug to show a distinct effect on moderate to severe dfferers.
Owing to an increase in the life expectancy of people living in the industrialized world, Alzheimer’s disease has become a major health issue and is the fourth largest cause of death in the United States. Although contracting the disease is a tragedy, the cost of treatment and care for sufferers is causing economic vibrations. Over 300 different compounds are already at various stages of development for its treatment.
One way to help lower the risk of dementia and one that you can have responsibility for is to change how you live by eating healthily and taking regular exercise. In fact researchers believe the happier and healthier someone is with Alzheimer’s, the slower his or her decline. Fortunately this disease is still mainly affecting elderly people but there have been recent occasions where younger persons have developed this disease.
