How to Cope With Alzheimer's Disease

This disease affects 4.5 million people in this country. Most of the time, women are affected more than men. It slowly affects the language and reasoning skills as well as memory and personality. Alzheimer's starts in one pat of the brain and slowly spreads to other parts . It leaves clumps of plaque and twisted fibers of protein in those parts.

The warning signs of Alzheimer's are memory loss that is chronic and disruptive, difficulty performing everyday tasks, language problems, disorientation, deceased and poor judgment. They lose things by putting them in strange places. For example, putting a wallet in the refrigerator or keys in the oven. Most just sit in front of the television or sleep.

The biggest risk factor for developing Alzheimer's disease is aging. Another is family history. If you have a parent or sibling with the disease, it increases your chances. There is currently three genes that have been identified to cause early onset.

There is no way of preventing Alzheimer's disease. But if you suspect that you or a loved one is suffering from Alzheimer's , you should seek help from our physician. There are neurological tests that can be taken to check your global functioning.

There are medications for treating this disease. They can slow down the progression and manage symptoms. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved five drugs to combat the disease. These drugs don't seem to be effective past two to three years . Even still, the success of the drug varies from each person in both duration and length.

The most common for mild to moderate Alzheimer's, acetylcholinestererase inhibitors. These drugs slow the breakdown of acetylcholine, which is a chemical in the brain. There are three of them. There a new drug being prescribed for moderate to severe called mimatine which blocks excess glutamate in the brain.

One famous person with Alzheimer's disease was former president Ronald Reagan. His condition was a reminder that there is no discrimination with this disease. These political figures, actors, and athletes use their recognition to bring awareness to the need for continuous research. They stress the importance of early diagnosis.

Mr. Reagan declared November as National Alzheimer's Disease month in 1983. He founded the Ronald and Nancy Reagan and Research Institute with cooperation with the Alzheimer's Association. He passed away in 2004 leaving a legacy of finding to continue research to explore cases, treatment, and early detection. Because of him, this country better understands this disease.

Source: www.webMD.com, www.wisegeek.com