Alzheimer disease, also known as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or just Alzheimer’s is the cause for about 60%to 70% of dementia cases.
It’s a chronic neurodegenerative that starts slowly & gets worse over time.
One of the most frequent early symptoms is the inability to recall recent events (short-term memory loss).
As this disease progresses, its symptoms may include mood swings, a problem with language, Loss of motivation, disorientation (which includes quickly getting lost), behavioral issues and inability to manage self-care.
As a patient’s condition deteriorates, they may withdraw from society and family members.
Steadily, bodily functions get lost, eventually leading to death.
Although the progression speed may vary, the average life expectancy after diagnosis is between three to nine years.
Who gets Alzheimer’s?
Developing Alzheimer’s has been linked to a group of numerous factors that are explained in detail below.
Some risk factors such as lifestyle may be controlled but others like genes and age may cannot.
Age
Age is the leading risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.
This disease commonly affects individuals of over 65.
Above 65, an individual’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s doubles approximately every five years.
One in every six persons of over 80 suffers from dementia.
Gender
For certain reasons that aren’t clear, there are about two times as many females as males over 65 with Alzheimer’s.
This difference isn’t fully explained by the fact that on average, women live much longer than men.
It could be that Alzheimer’s in females is associated with lack of the hormone oestrogen just after menopause.
The majority of people develop Alzheimer’s after 65; however, individuals in this age bracket can develop it too.
This is known as early-onset Alzheimer’s, a type of young-onset dementia.
Diagnosis
Anybody who suspects that he/she may be suffering from this condition (or other forms of dementia) should seek immediate help from a GP.
If you have dementia, early diagnosis has numerous benefits:
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It offers an explanation for the patient’s symptoms
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It provides access to advise, treatment and support
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It lets patients prepare and plan ahead for the future
There isn’t any single test for Alzheimer’s disease.
First, your GP will have to rule out any condition that may have the same symptoms like thyroid and vitamin deficiencies (from blood tests), infections, depression as well as side effects of medication.
Conclusion
Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia that brings about problems with behavior, thinking and memory loss.
The symptoms usually develop gradually & gets worse over time, becoming too severe to interfere with every day chores.