Alzheimer's Disease Deaths

Alzheimer's disease is terminal. Alzheimer's takes the memory of a person, leaving them unable to perform basic functions, such as walking and swallowing. It is a disease where people become foreign and the mind forgets who they are.

Life expectancy is 4.4 years from diagnosis for men, and 5.7 years from diagnosis for women.

Currently, in the United States there are 4.5 million people living with Alzheimer's. The disease is steadily increasing its tolls each year, and by 2050 statistics are expected to rise as high as 16 millions patients. The disease is terminal, and although there are medications to help prolong the life of the patient, each of these patients will die from the disease or conditions or complications developed due to the disease.

Death and Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's patients typically die of other causes such as heart disease, stroke or pneumonia before the disease has run its full course. When the disease does run its full course, the brain has become severely damaged and shuts down the body, resulting in death. The mind and body become severely handicapped.

Causes of Alzheimer's

The cause of Alzheimer's is still unknown. There are risk factors to the disease such as genetic and environmental risks but doctors agree that it is age related. The risk factors associated with Alzheimer's are age, family history, genetics and head injury.
The brain is a complicated mechanism with many different cells performing different duties all in the same regions of the brain. It may be many years before actual breakthroughs are made and a cure on the horizon.

Alzheimer's Risk Factors:

About 80 percent of individuals who have Alzheimer's are 70 years orolder. The chances of developing Alzheimer's doubles every five years after the age of 65 and by 85 chances of developing Alzheimer's are nearly 50 percent.

Family history is also a risk factor. For those that have a parent or sibling with the disease the odds of developing Alzheimer's are increased. This may be due to heredity or environmental factors or both.

Genes play a role in Alzheimer's. Apolipoprotein E-e4 is one of three common forms of the APOE gene. APOE is the blueprint that carries cholesterol in the bloodstream. EPOE-e4 increases the likelihood of Alzheimer's. APOE is inherited and for those that receive a copy of EPOE-4 from both parents the odds of developing the disease are even greater.

Medical Breakthroughs

Researches from Ruth University are researching the effects of gene transfer, using a drug called Cere 110 to send and trigger growth factors deep into the brain. With the use of very thin needles they are able to deliver the drug into the area of the brain that deteriorates early in Alzheimer's. The drug has been tested on human participants and to date is effective. However, it is too soon to measure long-term effects.

Assisted Care

Assisted care is available in the United States. With over 36,000 assisted care living communities the Alzheimer patient and their family can find a home with on site medical care and daily help in performing chores for the patient.

Community outreach programs and homes for the elderly are also available. Many insurance companies provide coverage for home health care, assisted care or a facility to care for the Alzheimer's patient.