Health-Tips-And-Info

by Juliane Anders

While aging gracefully can result in a loss and concentration and difficult recalling where one has left certain items, it may be a sign of a much greater problem. Alzheimer’s disease can affect a person’s daily life and the life of their loved ones negatively, and it is important to recognize the signs of this illness in order to better treat it. Alzheimer’s requires treatment early on by a medical professional, and it is important to recognize the warning signs that it may be time to visit a doctor.

Senior moments are a common fact of life as we age; however, if one has problem with basic tasks and ends up missing important appointments, it may be a symptom of Alzheimer’s disease. The behavioral signs vary depending on whether one lives a passive or active lifestyle, with the latter being easier to identify, as Alzheimer’s will slowly cause a loss of social function.

Unusual dress can be an obvious sign of Alzheimer’s disease where one may wear improper clothing for the season, such as a winter coat during a summer day.

Showers can be dangerous for this reason, and one may sit for hours in a cold bathtub and obtain hypothermia.

Those with Alzheimer’s disease may have a hard time remembering to pay their bills or mortgage note on time. In addition, they may lack impulse control when it comes to spending money, making foolish decisions. Control can be improved through therapy, which should allow one to maintain a reasonable level of activity.

Listlessness is a common symptom in those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, and as a result, someone suffering from this illness may sit and listen to a radio for hours at a time. They will typically spend their time doing non-demanding activities such as staring out a window or sleeping in more than is normal for that person.

Memory loss also becomes a problem with Alzheimer’s disease, where an individual forgets places, events, or people more frequently as time progresses. In moderate to severe Alzheimer’s, individuals may end up in a place and not remember where they are and how they got there.

These are just a few of the indicators of Alzheimer’s disease, and it is important to see a medical professional if you or your loved one shows a notable change in behavioral patterns. Even if this is not a sign of Alzheimer’s, it can be a symptom of another neurological disorder. Getting help from your doctor is important if you think you’ve spotted signs of Alzheimer’s, as early management of the disease is an important part of treatment.

About the Author:

Juliane Anders offers more ways to spot the signs of Alzheimer’s at his web page,Identify Alzheimer’s.

by Kay Brown

Dementia is now a major problem amongst retired people especially the type known as Alzheimer’s disease; unfortunately, it often overshadows the other forms of dementia. If you spent time with a person with Alzheimer’s disease, you will see a gradual decay in their ability to remember.

The problem in the past has been the accuracy of diagnosis which has gradually improved and is now up to 94 percent accurate. Discovered in 1906 by German physician Alois Alzheimer, the world’s focus on this disease is only about 30 years old; even though it has been scientifically studied for many years, knowledge surrounding this disease is minimal.

Studies show that your greatest risk of acquiring Alzheimer’s is advancing age. Unfortunately, the person experiencing the early symptoms of Alzheimer’s will know something is wrong but won’t admit it to others or even to themselves; to make matters worse, this situation creates a delay in the person and family learning what is wrong. Given this it there is often a delay in understanding or taking an appropriate course of action.

General measures for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease are the same as for all dementias. Stalling the progression and possibly improving the condition is about the best that can currently be achieved with drugs but no definitive treatment has yet been discovered. At the moment, three drugs are used routinely to treat sufferers of Alzheimer’s, all of which have been approved by the FDA - Donepezil, Tacrine, and Rivastigmine; improvements have shown to help the average sufferer’s cognitive abilities by up to six months.

A new drug, Memantine is helping to slow down the mental decline during the later phases and is similar to the anti-influenza treatment Amantadine; patients with mild to severe Alzheimer’s who are already receiving Donepezil are now given Memantine as an alternative. Memantine is the first medicine to show such positive results with sufferers with few problems associated with its use; as 80 percent of the drug is passed in urine unchanged there is very little left to cause any harm.

Alzheimer’s disease is considered to be a major public health challenge because the average age of the industrialized world’s population is increasing. this disease has risen to the status of fourth most lethal killer in America. The economic cost of treating and providing care for those with this type of aging disease another issue to be addressed; with an annual cost of 40 billion US dollars. This number is expected to rise in future years.

Looking after patients for care and treatment, is set to be a major problem. Last year alone, the National Institute on Aging spent nearly one-half of its funding on research related to this insidious disease; currently there are over 300 different compounds 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. Studies have also indicated that a number of Alzheimer’s patients have reduced their rate of decline by staying healthy and happy. At the moment, the disease is still primarily affecting the aged; however, there have been incidents where a younger person has contracted the disease although it is hoped these will not increase

About the Author:

Kay Brown of Net Reports where you can find a growing volume of fine Niche Articles and very educational Digital Information Products