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. The problem of early diagnosis is often down to the sufferer, who refuses to admit that anything is wrong even when they start to experience some of the symptoms; this can be difficult for friends and relations who do not know what the problem is, or what actions or care they should take.

Like other forms of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease is currently treated exactly the same as. There is no permanent treatment for the condition, but studies have shown there are a number of drugs which can help with the condition. Donepezil, Tacrine, and Rivastigmine are three drugs that have been approved for use in treating Alzheimer’s by the American Food and Drug Administration; improvements have shown to help the average sufferer’s cognitive abilities by up to six months.

Another drug, Memantine, a relative of the older anti-influenza drug Amantadine, is proving successful at slowing down the mental decline of sufferers; it is now usually prescribed to Alzheimer’s patients who are already using Donepezil. Memantine is the first medicine to show such positive results with sufferers with few problems associated with its use; because four fifths of it is passed out in urine unchanged by the kidneys, patients do not risk having their bodies retaining it in large quantities.

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.

The National Institute on Aging spends half of its annual funding on research into this age related disease; currently there are over 300 different compounds at various stages of development for its treatment. This would make Alzheimer’s , the cost, care and treatment of which, a major problem.

One of the few factors that you can change to alter your risk of developing dementia is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Some researchers into the disease have found that patients who are happy and healthy with Alzheimer’s, slow down the rate of their mental decline. Fortunately this disease is still mainly affecting people over the age of 60; incidents of younger victims contracting the condition do occur, although these are rare.

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