How Is Alzheimers Disease Diagnosed
Doctors use several methods and tools to help determine whether a person who is having memory problems has Alzheimers disease.
To diagnose Alzheimers, doctors may:
- Ask the person and a family member or friend questions about overall health, use of prescription and over-the-counter medicines, diet, past medical problems, ability to carry out daily activities, and changes in behavior and personality.
- Conduct tests of memory, problem solving, attention, counting, and language.
- Carry out standard medical tests, such as blood and urine tests, to identify other possible causes of the problem.
- Perform brain scans, such as computed tomography , magnetic resonance imaging , or positron emission tomography , to support an Alzheimers diagnosis or to rule out other possible causes for symptoms.
These tests may be repeated to give doctors information about how the persons memory and other cognitive functions are changing over time.
People with memory and thinking concerns should talk to their doctor to find out whether their symptoms are due to Alzheimers or another cause, such as stroke, tumor, Parkinsons disease, sleep disturbances, side effects of medication, an infection, or another type of dementia. Some of these conditions may be treatable and possibly reversible.
In addition, an early diagnosis provides people with more opportunities to participate in clinical trials or other research studies testing possible new treatments for Alzheimers.
Questions To Ask About End
As a caregiver, you will want to understand how the available medical options presented by the health care team fit with the needs of both the family and the person with dementia. You might ask the health care team questions such as:
- Who can help me with end-of-life care for my loved one living with dementia?
- How will your suggested approaches affect their quality of life?
- What are my options if I can no longer manage the care of my loved one at home?
- How can I best decide when a visit to the doctor or hospital is necessary?
- Should I consider hospice at home, and if so, does the hospice team have experience working with people living with dementia?
Signs And Symptoms Of Alzheimer’s Disease
Memory problems are typically one of the first signs of cognitive impairment related to Alzheimers. Some people with memory problems have a condition called mild cognitive impairment . With MCI, people have more memory problems than normal for their age, but their symptoms do not interfere with their everyday lives. Movement difficulties and problems with the sense of smell have also been linked to MCI. Older people with MCI are at greater risk for developing Alzheimers, but not all of them do so. Some may even revert to normal cognition.
The first symptoms of Alzheimers vary from person to person. For many, decline in nonmemory aspects of cognition, such as word-finding, vision/spatial issues, and impaired reasoning or judgment may signal the very early stages of the disease. Researchers are studying biomarkers to detect early changes in the brains of people with MCI and in cognitively normal people who may be at greater risk for Alzheimers. More research is needed before these techniques can be used broadly and routinely to diagnose Alzheimers in a health care providers office.
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Brain Degeneration Is A Gradual Process
German doctor, Alois Alzheimer, first discovered Alzheimers disease in 1906. The patient, Auguste D. was described by the doctor as having memory loss and problems with cognitive functions.
After the deceased patients autopsy, Dr. Alzheimer concluded that part of the patients brain was shrunken. In 1910, a psychiatrist working with the doctor named the condition Alzheimers disease.
Alzheimers Disease May Affect An Individuals Sense Of Smell
An appalling fact about Alzheimers from The National Institutes of Health reveals that a person in the early stages of Alzheimers may lose their sense of smell. This change could also be due to other factors including brain injury, sinus infection, and Parkinsons disease.
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Managing Alzheimer’s Disease Behavior
Common behavioral symptoms of Alzheimers include sleeplessness, wandering, agitation, anxiety, and aggression. Scientists are learning why these symptoms occur and are studying new treatments drug and nondrug to manage them. Research has shown that treating behavioral symptoms can make people with Alzheimers more comfortable and makes things easier for caregivers.
Alzheimers Is A Leading Cause Of Death
In fact, it comes in sixth behind heart disease, cancer, respiratory disease, accidents and stroke. The
CDC reported over 93,500 deaths from Alzheimers in 2014 alone. And the condition is widespread: According to the
Alzheimers Association, 1 in every 3 seniors will die with this disease or another form of dementia.
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Federal Research Funding Is Inadequate For The Scope Of The Problem
- The research community believes it will be possible to prevent or control Alzheimers within the next 10 years if adequate research funding and other reforms to accelerate the drug pipeline are put in place.
- However, federal research funding is a fraction of that of other major diseases.
- For every dollar the federal government spends today on the costs of Alzheimers care, it invests less than a penny in research to find a cure.
Dementia And Alzheimer Are Not The Same
Many times, we hear these two terms interchanged as a synonymous disease. They are not the same, but rather dementia is a subset of Alzheimers disease.
Dementia is defined as a in mental cognition and ability. It is a blanket term for a set of symptoms associated with compromised brain function.
Whereas, Alzheimers disease is classically defined as when brain cells progressively die over time that results in memory loss, brain function, cognitive function, and behavior.
Alzheimers disease is almost always confirmed at the time of death after analyzing brain tissue.
The clinical findings that assist to diagnose Alzheimers disease are tangles or plaques, which act as evidence of damaged brain cells.
Additionally, the causes vary for patients suffering from forms of dementia.
4. There are Six Main Types of Dementia
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What Are Some Complications Of Alzheimers Disease
Alzheimers disease is an irreversible form of dementia. The rate of progression differs between people: some people have it only in the last 5 years of their life, while others may have it for as long as 20 years. Alzheimers disease eventually leads to complete dependence and increasing frailty. This means a secondary illness, such as pneumonia, may eventually cause death.
Other complications of Alzheimers disease may include:
- an inability to complete daily tasks such as planning meals and managing money
- a tendency to wander from home
- personality changes such as anxiety, depression and irritability that make relationships more difficult
- delusions and hallucinations in advanced stages of the disease
What Is Known About Reducing Your Risk Of Alzheimers Disease
The science on risk reduction is quickly evolving, and major breakthroughs are within reach. For example, there is growing evidence that people who adopt healthy lifestyle habits like regular exercise and blood pressure management can lower their risk of dementia. There is growing scientific evidence that healthy behaviors, which have been shown to prevent cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, may also reduce risk for subjective cognitive decline. To learn more about the current state of evidence on dementia risk factors and the implications for public health, please read the following summaries on Cardiovascular Health, Exercise, Diabetes and Obesity, Traumatic Brain Injury , Tobacco and Alcohol, Diet and Nutrition, Sleep, Sensory Impairment, and Social Engagement or the Compiled Report .
Aging
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Alcohol Can Lead To Dementia As Per Alzheimers Disease Facts And Figures
Consuming alcohol excessively over a long period may cause brain damage and increase the chances of developing dementia. More specifically, heavy drinking can reduce the volume of the brains white matter, responsible for helping in the transmission of signals between brain regions. That way, there may be issues with brain function.
Be that as it may, facts about dementia and Alzheimers disease affirm that moderate drinkers are less likely to develop Alzheimers or other dementia than those who dont drink alcohol at all.
What Is The Burden Of Alzheimers Disease In The United States
- Alzheimers disease is one of the top 10 leading causes of death in the United States.2
- The 6th leading cause of death among US adults.
- The 5th leading cause of death among adults aged 65 years or older.3
In 2020, an estimated 5.8 million Americans aged 65 years or older had Alzheimers disease.1 This number is projected to nearly triple to 14 million people by 2060.1
In 2010, the costs of treating Alzheimers disease were projected to fall between $159 and $215 billion.4 By 2040, these costs are projected to jump to between $379 and more than $500 billion annually.4
Death rates for Alzheimers disease are increasing, unlike heart disease and cancer death rates that are on the decline.5 Dementia, including Alzheimers disease, has been shown to be under-reported in death certificates and therefore the proportion of older people who die from Alzheimers may be considerably higher.6
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More Than Half Of The 54 Million Americans With The Disease May Not Know They Have It
In part because of the difficulty with detecting early-stage Alzheimers or mild cognitive impairment , many of those with the disease remain undiagnosed. With research and time, our ability to detect early-stage Alzheimers continues to improve, though it will increase the overall number of people known to have the disease.
Alzheimers Disease In Women
Rates of Alzheimers disease are significantly higher in women, according to a report from the Alzheimers Association. The report, which grouped participants into men and women, estimated that the lifetime risk of developing Alzheimers disease is 1 in 5 for women. For men, the rate is half of that, at 1 in 10.
In the United States, there are 4 million women and 2.5 million men living with Alzheimers disease.
One of the reasons for higher rates in women is that women tend to live longer. Age is considered the biggest risk for developing Alzheimers disease. Another theory is that women born before 1950 didnt typically have as much formal education as men. Lower levels of education are associated with higher rates of Alzheimers disease.
Alzheimers disease seems to progress more quickly in women than it does in men. Research suggests that women often receive a diagnosis at later stages. Typically, women have an advantage over men when it comes to memory and recall. Its possible that changes in memory are because they could still be within a normal range on standard tests.
There may be some associations between hormonal changes over the life cycle and Alzheimers disease. Several have shown a link between earlier menopause and greater odds of developing Alzheimers disease.
Its also possible that theres something else at play that puts people at risk of both hypertensive disorders during pregnancy and Alzheimers disease in later life.
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How Alzheimer’s Disease Is Treated
There’s currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but medicines are available that can help relieve some of the symptoms.
Various other types of support are also available to help people with Alzheimer’s live as independently as possible, such as making changes to your home environment so it’s easier to move around and remember daily tasks.
Psychological treatments such as cognitive stimulation therapy may also be offered to help support your memory, problem solving skills and language ability.
Read more about treating Alzheimer’s disease.
Women Are Far More Susceptible Than Men
In fact, about two of every three Alzheimers patients in the U.S. are female. Traditionally, its been thought this may be due to women tending to live longer than men. The risk of developing this or another form of dementia grow exponentially with age. Researchers are beginning to question this conclusion, however, as more genetic and hormonal influences come to light.
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The Progression Of Alzheimer’s Is Divided Into Three General Stages
There are three main stages of Alzheimers: early, middle, and late. Each stage has a distinct set of commonly-seen symptoms, degree of damage to the brain, and treatment options associated with it. The Alzheimers Association estimates that people typically live for 4-8 years after diagnosis, but there is a large degree of variation depending on the individual.
Early:
Alzheimers typically begins with small memory lapses while a person is still relatively independent. That is, a person with early-stage Alzheimers can still carry out everyday activities and care for themselves. Sometimes, however, they might have trouble remembering words, names, or new information. They might also misplace objects and start having difficulty with planning and organizational tasks.
Once these behavioral changes have become apparent to the individual experiencing them, or to their friends and family, its a good idea for that individual to be evaluated by a medical professional and discuss how to mitigate the diseases effects as it progresses.
Middle:
The middle stage of Alzheimers is when the most behavioral changes take place. Its usually the stage that patients are in for the longest period of time.
As the disease progresses, damage to and death of the neurons of the cerebral cortex continues.
The cerebral cortex, or cerebrum: home to language, thought, and decision making. Image from Human Anatomy Atlas.
Late:
Signs Of Mild Alzheimers Disease
In mild Alzheimers disease, a person may seem to be healthy but has more and more trouble making sense of the world around him or her. The realization that something is wrong often comes gradually to the person and his or her family. Problems can include:
- Poor judgment leading to bad decisions
- Loss of spontaneity and sense of initiative
- Taking longer to complete normal daily tasks
- Repeating questions
- Increased sleeping
- Loss of bowel and bladder control
A common cause of death for people with Alzheimers disease is aspiration pneumonia. This type of pneumonia develops when a person cannot swallow properly and takes food or liquids into the lungs instead of air.
There is currently no cure for Alzheimers, though there are medicines that can treat the symptoms of the disease.
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About 5%6% Of Alzheimers Patients Get It Before 65 As Per Alzheimers Stats
Its called young-onset Alzheimers, and its an uncommon form of dementia. According to Alzheimers disease statistics, of 6 million Americans with Alzheimers, approximately 300,000360,000 have the young-onset form. In addition, these people develop symptoms of the disease between the ages of 30 and 60.
Alzheimers Disease Ranked As The 6th Leading Cause Of Death In The United States
Wellness efforts have helped decrease preventable diseases and conditions that stem from high blood pressure, obesity, exercise deficiency and poor nutrition.
However, systemic and genetically derived blood and health conditions rank high among those contributing to early morbidity.
Diseases and conditions that are associated with the brain are some of the most difficult to prevent and have zero cure.
Therefore, Alzheimers disease is among those that affect dont have much of a preventable precursor aside from aging.
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Over 16 Million Americans Are Caregivers For Alzheimers Patients
These unpaid caregivers account for 83 percent of the help given to older adults. They provide 18.4 billion hours of care, for a value of more than $230 billion.
This can take a huge toll on caregivers. If youre caring for someone in the grip of dementia, know that you are not alone. There are resources and support available to help.
Additionally, getting an Alzheimers patient to a normal doctors office or clinic in the case of an urgent medical need can be hugely challenging. Instead, why not from the clinical team at DispatchHealth? Theyll meet you at your home, provide nearly any of the services you could get from your local emergency room, and help your loved one feel more comfortable in familiar surroundings.
What Are The Symptoms Of Alzheimers Disease
Early on, Alzheimers disease may be hard to notice. The first signs are usually memory loss and difficulty finding the right words for everyday things. However, many people have trouble with memory but dont have Alzheimers so its important to visit a doctor to work out the exact cause of memory problems.
Other common symptoms of Alzheimers disease include:
- vagueness in daily conversation
Alzheimers disease is sometimes classified into 3 stages, based on the severity of symptoms:
Symptoms will progress differently between people, depending on what areas of the brain are affected. A persons symptoms may also change from day to day and can become worse with stress, illness or tiredness.
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In 2018 165% Of Women Died From Alzheimers Or Other Forms Of Dementia In The Uk
While statistics of Alzheimers disease uncover that in 2018, Alzheimers and other types of dementia were the number-one cause of death among women in the UK, men werent spared either. In other words, dementia was the second leading cause of death among men, with 8.7% of men succumbing to the disease in 2018.