Alzheimer's Case Study

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

According to the Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI), dementia is one of the most prevalent disorders found among

Although Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the most widely known cause of dementia in the elderly population, there are many other explanations and clinical diagnoses that

Alzheimer 's disease is a progressive deterioration of cognitive function sufficient to cause functional disability (Hannaman, Mitchell, Cross, 2011). It is the most common cause of dementia after age 60 with initial signs reflective of hippocampal dysfunction, with poor immediate recall and short-term memory. "As the disease progresses, visuospatial dysfunction (including with directions and geographic disorientation), due to parietal lobe involvement, and executive dysfunction (including difficulty initiating and completing tasks, reduced spontaneity, and apathy). due to frontal dysfunction typically appear" (Hannaman, Mitchell, Cross, 2011, p. 11-6). Median survival rate is 3 years because of

More than five million are living with Alzheimer’s disease in the United States and the number is set to almost triple by the year 2050. It is common in the elderly and generally occurs in persons over 65 years of age, but early onset of Alzheimer’s has also been documented (“Alzheimer’s disease facts,” 2016, para. 1). It starts in the medial temporal area of the brain, usually in the hippocampus, and then spreads to other areas of the brain. Blows (2011) explains, “Alois Alzheimer was a German psychiatrist who in 1906 described a dementia with two specific changes found in the brain after death... these changes were the presence of extracellular plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles and these became the hallmarks of this disease” (p. 286). Loss of neurons takes place and amyloid plaques form. This is due to build-up of non-functioning proteins and can be observed by imaging techniques (Radin, 2003, p. 41). There are many risk factors that increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The greatest risk factor is family history, but other risk factors include diabetes, hypertension obesity, hyperlipidemia, smoking, depression, physical inactivity, low estrogen levels, and head trauma (Huether & McCance, 2014, p. 546). The actual cause of Alzheimer’s is unknown, but there are genes associated with it that make the disease heritable. What is clear is that

Over the last 15 years, many promising clinical studies for Alzheimer’s have failed because many of the participants that were tested did not have Alzheimer’s, but another form of dementia. Because of that, in order for someone to be admitted into current drug trials, he/she must test positive for Alzheimer’s biomarkers. Another reason some clinical studies were inconclusive were because of the fact that the disease was so advanced in some patients that it had already caused brain damage (Nierenberg,

This discussion will aim to focus on analyzing an extensive array of different aspects related to the disease. The main focal points of this investigation will delve into the risk factors, including demographics and heritability, and environmental causes associated with Alzheimer’s disease, as well as briefly explaining the biological process of neurodegeneration, improvement in finding new treatments, and innovations to methods of detection. Additionally, examined will be explorations into advancement of further understanding the disease, including recent studies and the implications of such to the future of the field of

Alzheimer’s, a severe irreversible form of dementia, is now a very prevalent issue in the aging population. Scientists are just beginning to understand what Alzheimer’s is, what causes Alzheimer’s and how to prevent it. Although research has come a long way, “Alzheimer’s disease, as science tries to grasp it, seems to slip through our fingers. The complex interaction of neurochemistry, genetics, environment, lifestyle and personality all play a part in how individuals experience Alzheimer’s. ~ Harry Clayton

It is estimated that by the year 2050, around 160 million people will be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease (Park, “How Exercise”). Alzheimer’s is a genetic disease, meaning it is passed down through one’s family. Daisy Duarte has had to care for her mother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, for four years. Seventy-five percent of Daisy’s family has had the disease, so she decided to get tested to see if she carries the gene. “Finding out your genetic destiny can be life altering” (Park, “How Exercise”). Alzheimer’s disease affects many people, but there are ways to slow the process, and maybe even prevent it.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a slow-progressing neurodegenerative disease that has no cure and most often affects people over the age of sixty-five. Neurodegeneration is characterized by the loss of function in the central nervous system due to degeneration of neurons found mostly in the brain. The most recent data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention shows that AD is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. The cause of Alzheimer’s is still not completely understood, but the current theory is that it appears to be genetic in which many genes are involved. AD is also the most common form of dementia and accounts for 60-80% of cases (Alzheimer’s Association 2016). Dementia is not a disease itself, but instead is characterized by a group of symptoms that is caused by brain disease or injury in which memory, personality, and reasoning skills are affected.

Black has stated that genetic causes often involve the mutation of multiple genes and have identified at least five chromosomes: 1, 12, 14, 19, and 21 (Black, 2009, p. 1894). Four genetic loci have also been identified as contributing to AD, including the amyloid precursor gene, the presenilin 1 gene, the presenilin 2 gene, and the apolipoprotein E gene on chromosome 19. Though there is not enough conclusive research to directly link AD to environmental factors (such as toxins or head trauma) or personal health (diabetes, vascular disease, heart and stroke), these issues are known to contribute to the destruction of brain cells. Understanding the etiology of brain cell loss is relevant to understanding how to effectively prevent the loss of function in the brain. For example, preventing the formation of chemicals called free radicals with antioxidants can indirectly prevent AD. Other causes of brain cell loss include a neurotransmitter called glutamate and an accumulation of beta amyloid proteins. Therefore, although the cause of AD has been unidentifiable, many contributing factors have been observed.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been ranked the third leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer. New research suggests the ways of

“Increasing age is the greatest known risk factor for Alzheimer’s. Your risk increases greatly after you reach the age of 65. Nearly half of those older than 85 have Alzheimer’s disease” (Mayo Clinic, 2014). “Sex is a risk factor because women may be more likely than men to develop Alzheimer’s disease, because women live longer” (Mayo Clinic, 2014). “Family history and genetics are a risk factor for getting the disease because your risk of developing Alzheimer’s appears to be somewhat higher if a first-degree relative, for example, your parent or sibling, has the disease” (Mayo Clinic, 2014). The final risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease is past head trauma. “People who’ve had a severe head trauma or repeated head trauma appear to have a greater risk of Alzheimer’s disease” (Mayo Clinic, 2014). “In US, the Alzheimer's disease is the 6th leading cause of death overall and among those aged 65 and above, it is the 5th leading cause of death. While the deaths from major diseases, like heart disease have decreased, the death due to Alzheimer's has increased by more than 60 percent between 2000 and 2012. The total number of patients having Alzheimer's disease was 5.4 million in 2012. Out of this, the people aged 65 and above accounted for 5.2 million and at least 200,000 patients were younger than 65 with early-onset of Alzheimer's. It has been observed that almost 1 in 8 people coming under the 65 age group are patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Amongst the population in the 80 age group, almost 45 percent have been detected with Alzheimer’s disease” (M2 Press Wire,

You are the nurse doing home visits in a retirement community. Your patient is an 85-year-old male who has been diagnosed with AD. His adult children are with him for the visit. They want to know about the disease and what treatment options exist. They ask the following questions:

First of all, there are many resources available in the management of Alzheimer’s disease. Mr. Rogers’ wife should be thoroughly educated on the supportive resource that are available to her since Alzheimer’s disease is not curable, living with long-term ill partner and providing care could be challenging. Support groups for caregivers are available for Mrs. Rogers.