Alzheimer 's A Progressive And Irreversible Brain Disease Essay

Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly, accounting for 65–70% of all cases (Jellinger, Janetzky, Attems, & Kienzl, 2008). The other dementias are of the Parkinson 's group, the fronto-temporal group and the vascular group. The total worldwide yearly costs for the treatment and care of patients suffering from dementia are estimated to be around 250 billion US dollars. The lifetime risk for AD between the ages of 65 and 100 is 33% for men and 45% for women with an annual increase of 1–2% in the seventh decade to almost 60% in the 10th decade with doubling every 5 years (Jellinger et al., 2008). AD is incurable, and thus represents a major public health problem. AD represents a challenge to humanity due to its relatively recent discovery, progressive nature of the illness, and complex diagnosis.

Alzheimer’s disease is a common problem in today’s society and within the older population this disease makes up the largest form of dementia. Although it is a problem in mainly older people, this disease can still occur in the younger population also. People in their 30s-50s can be diagnosed with this disease, even though it is not as common as people in their 60s-90s. The number of people with Alzheimer’s in the U.S. is close to five million and is expected to double within the next 30 years. With our modern medicine and advancements one would think a cure would be available, however, getting to the cause of the disease is a major factor. The cause of Alzheimer’s disease is one that is very debatable and questionable and most likely is a result of multiple factors rather than one. The main issue with finding the cause is because this disease affects the brain and can

Alzheimer’s disease is the 6th leading cause of death in America. It kills more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. Alzheimer’s accounts for 70-80% of dementia cases. By the age of 65, 1 in 9 people are diagnosed and by the age of 85, 1 in 3 people will have the disease. According to the Alzheimer Association, 5 million people in American have Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s starts to form 20 years prior to being diagnosed. Learning about Alzheimer’s can help families understand how Alzheimer’s is more than just memory loss, it is an incurable mental disease.

Alzheimer’s disease is incurable, but there are many stages, warning signs, and risk factors that can serve as detection devices for those who have older adults in their lives. One of the most common early signs of this form of dementia is memory loss. While it is normal for people to occasionally forget things, such as appointments and names, people with Alzheimer’s tend to forget these things more often and are not able to recall them even after a period of time. Other signs that signify a possible case of Alzheimer’s is difficulty performing familiar tasks (cooking, brushing teeth), problems with language (using odd words, failing to remember correct words), disorientation (forgetting where one lives, not knowing how he got to a certain place), problems with abstract thinking (forgetting what numbers represent), misplacing items (putting a hair brush in the freezer), moodiness, personality changes (confusion, suspicion, fearfulness), and loss of initiative

In advanced stages, loss of speech entirely can occur, though emotional signals can still be cognitive and recognizable. At this point, pertinent exhaustion and apathy are presented as the patient loses the ability to perform the most simplest of tasks. Because the patient becomes bedridden at this point, they are completely dependent on the caregivers. Death usually occurs at this point, not directly due to the disease, but from outside sources such as pneumonia.

Alzheimer’s disease is a complex illness that affects the brain tissue directly and undergoes gradual memory and behavioral changes which makes it difficult to diagnose. It is known to be the most common form of dementia and is irreversible. Over four million older Americans have Alzheimer’s, and that number is expected to triple in the next twenty years as more people live into their eighties and nineties. (Johnson, 1989). There is still no cure for Alzheimer’s but throughout the past few years a lot of progress has been made.

Currently, more than five million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s Disease. Alzheimer’s has also worked its way up to the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Not only does this disease take the lives of the victims, but it also takes a perhaps bigger toll on the caregivers. The longer a victim lives with Alzheimer’s, the more extensive time, effort, money, and caution a caregiver has to provide. Today, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s. However, there are new treatments that slow the progression of the disease, and there are also new ways for doctors to diagnose it earlier. It is amazing that something that affects so many people is so difficult to have

Alzheimer’s disease affects the lives of over 5 million Americans today. The cost that it has placed on the U.S is a staggering $203 million dollars. Researchers have reported that those numbers are expected to triple by 2050. However draining that this disease may seem, the real question is whether there is a solution. To this day there is still no cure to stop or even slow down th progression of the brain disease but there are treatments that help cover the symptoms. While the majority of the people who suffer from Alzheimer is generally over the age of 65, about 200,000, of the estimated 5 million, are in the age range of 30-40.

Alzheimer’s disease gradually develops over a period of years and can last decades. The disease itself can be broken down into three main stages: the early stage, the moderate stage, and the severe stage. Each of the three stages exhibits a progression of the symptoms from the prior stage. In the first stage, the early stage, most patients generally have difficulty finding the right words, take a longer time to react, and struggle with short term memory loss (Alzheimer’s Disease). This stage can last anywhere from two to four years and is often when the disease is first diagnosed in

Alzheimer’s Dementia has seven stages. Stage one is no impairment or normal function. Stage two is very mild cognitive decline. This stage can be the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s or age-related changes such as forgetfulness. Stage three is mild cognitive decline. This is when doctors can diagnose the beginnings of Alzheimer’s. Common stage three difficulties include trouble remembering names, greater difficulty completing or staying on task, and increased trouble with organizing and planning. Stage four is moderate cognitive decline. Symptoms in this stage become more clear such as forgetting recent events, becoming moody or withdrawn, and greater ability to perform complex tasks. Stage five is moderately severe cognitive decline or mid-stage Alzheimer’s. During this stage the patient may not be able to remember his or her address or telephone number and become confused about where he or she is and what day it is. The patient will still be able remember significant details about his or her family and past. Stage six is severe cognitive decline. During this stage memory continues to worsen and personality changes may begin to take place. This stage also includes wandering, changes in sleep patterns, incontinence, and remembering names of family members. The final stage is seven: very severe decline or late-stage Alzheimer’s. In this final stage the patient will lose his or her ability to respond, have a

As such, Alzheimer’s disease accounts for being one of the major contributing factors in dementia. In fact, Alzheimer’s disease accounts for around forty to seventy percent of dementia symptom diagnoses (16). With each year, the number of individuals being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease continues to rise. This number is only expected to keep escalating, with a prediction that one in eighty-five people will suffer from the disease by the year 2050

The alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease that destroys memory and other important mental functions. Alzheimer's is not a normal part of aging and only up to 5 percent of people with the disease have early onset Alzheimer's (also known as younger-onset), which often appears when someone is in their 40s or 50s. This disease doesn’t have a cure, but there are treatments for symptoms available and research still continues to find the answer to cure this bad disease. Also, an interesting fact is that ninety percent of what we know about Alzheimer's has been discovered in the last 15 years. Lastly, Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years. In its early stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage Alzheimer's, individuals lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment. It’s the sixth leading cause of death in the United

According to Alzheimer’s Association there are 7 stages of symptoms that will help with the understanding of how the body will change. During stage one there is no impairment to the normal functions. Stage two is when the patient starts forgetting the location of everyday objects like glasses and keys but there is still no sign of dementia. Stage three is when loved ones start notice a change with the patient such as forgetfulness with names, new material, and common or valuable objects. Stage four is when the memory issues become worse and they have problems remembering recent events. Patients also have issue performing mental arithmetic and they become more moody. Stage five is when they start having trouble remembering telephone numbers or the date, need help dressing appropriately, but can still remember loved ones. In stage six the memory loss gets worse and the personality changes. Some patients need a lot of help doing daily activities. Stage seven is the final stage and that is when the patient does not respond to anything and may lose their ability to control

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a commonly diagnosed brain disorder that deteriorates memory and thought skills progressively and irreversibly eventually culminating in the loss of ability to perform ordinary tasks. As the most common form of dementia, it’s prevalence affects 5.3 million Americans. The United States is an aging population, with an aging index of 66 people age sixty-five and older for every 100 children age fifteen and under, in 2010 (Jacobsen, 2014). AD has a current incidence rate (number of new cases of AD in a population at a given time) of 54/1,000 in people ages 65 and up, with rates predicted to double in the near future (Alzheimer's disease & dementia.). Globally more than 25 Million people suffer from AD. The mortality

Alzheimer disease of the elderly has several stages. All the stages have various symptoms. Common early symptoms of Alzheimer disease include disturbances in short-term