Early diagnosis, treatment offer hope for Alzheimer’s patients
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There’s understandably a lot of fear surrounding Alzheimer’s. After all, it’s a terrible disease that kills more people than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined, and its symptoms can be baffling and debilitating. However, as understandable as those fears are, they’re complemented by a pair of myths that we simply can’t allow to persist because, every day, those myths prevent millions of people from living better, happier lives.
The first myth is that Alzheimer’s can only be diagnosed after someone has died. Granted, up until a couple of decades ago, this was true. Today, however, due to the efforts of researchers worldwide, medical professionals often can diagnose Alzheimer’s even in the early stages.
The second myth is that there is nothing that can be done to combat Alzheimer’s. Again, while this once was the case, now we have a number of ways to attack this dreaded disease, from medications and nondrug medical interventions to alternative therapies and life accommodations.
Put those two myths aside and you get two facts that should be an encouragement to anyone who has or loves someone who has Alzheimer’s: Not only can it be diagnosed, it also can be treated. On the other hand, if it is not diagnosed, it will not be treated … a fact that affects millions of people in the U.S. who have not been diagnosed.
Before I explain how diagnosis and intervention work, let’s take a quick look at what Alzheimer’s and dementia are.
In the most basic terms, dementia is a cognitive impairment and memory loss severe enough to affect a person’s ability to function in daily life, and Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia. Accounting for about 60% to 80% of all dementia cases, Alzheimer’s ultimately can result in loss of bodily functions and death.
The impact of Alzheimer’s will be unique to each person, but common signs and symptoms include the memory loss and disorientation we often associate with Alzheimer’s, but also changes in behavior, language impairment, loss of bodily control and depression. You might notice a person having trouble with complex tasks such as paying bills, becoming frustrated with changes in their environment, getting lost in familiar places and not being able to cope with new activities.
One challenge families often face is that, even if they notice such changes, they dismiss them as not being serious enough to warrant concern or, on the other hand, they overlook them because they fear an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Such reactions might explain why six out of 10 people say they wouldn’t bother talking to their doctor right away if they sensed they were experiencing early memory or cognitive loss.
However, it is imperative that more people have those conversations because detecting Alzheimer’s is the first step to treating it. Healthcare providers should be informed at the earliest suspicion that someone might have Alzheimer’s in order to allow them to begin the evaluation and diagnostic process. The steps could include gathering basic healthcare history and information, lab testing, brain imaging and more.
Throughout this process, it’s important to share all healthcare information, even if it might not immediately seem relevant, including alcohol and drug use, chronic medical conditions, changes in physical abilities and functions, and mood and mental health concerns. Which tests, imaging and screenings are ordered will vary from person to person, but none of them are particularly taxing and all of them have the potential to lead to life-changing treatment.
The form that treatment will take will also vary from case to case. Today, we have medications that can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s and ease its symptoms, and new and improved treatments are being explored every day.
Seven out of 10 surveyed Americans told the Alzheimer’s Association that they would want to know early that they have Alzheimer’s diseases if it could allow for earlier treatment.
I can assure everyone reading this that early detection does allow for earlier treatment, so don’t hesitate: If you or someone you love is beginning to show signs of dementia, put aside fear, put aside myths and tell your healthcare provider. The sooner you know the facts, the better life will be.
To learn more about Alzheimer’s, go to www.alz.org. You can also connect to information about your local Alzheimer’s Walk through that site.
Dr. Jeffrey Wheeler is the medical director for MDwise, an Indiana-based nonprofit health care organization.