Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month

September is Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month

What is Alzheimer’s disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is a disease that damages the brain’s nerve cells and results in a loss of some brain functions.  Some changes that occur because of the loss of brain functions include memory loss and changes in behavior, the ability to verbally communicate, and in thinking. Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of dementia and accounts for 50% to 60% of cases.  Dementia can be described as a decline in memory and brain function.  The decline in brain function is severe enough to interfere with activities of daily life.  At this time, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease.

How many people are affected by Alzheimer’s disease?

Over 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and the fifth leading cause of death in people aged 65 and older. About 12.5% of Americans over the age of 65 have Alzheimer’s, and it affects 42% of people 85 years old and older. Although there is no known cause of Alzheimer’s, it can be linked to genetic and environmental factors. Alzheimer’s usually presents after the age of 65. Early onset Alzheimer’s is classified as people aged 40 to 64 who develop the disease and also has a stronger genetic link than the Alzheimer’s cases after the age of 65. Early onset Alzheimer’s accounts for approximately 5% of the affected population.  

In 2011, total health care payments including long-term care and hospice were projected to be $183 billion for Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease not only affects the person with the disease, but also affects the patient’s family and caretaker. Family members often care for Alzheimer’s patients, which may become overwhelming and require these individuals to seek addition care themselves.

What are the common symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease?

Early Symptoms

·    Memory loss that disrupts daily life

Memory complaints are often the first problem family members notice in Alzheimer’s patients. It is the hallmark symptom associated with Alzheimer’s and is usually seen in the early stages of the disease. Early on, Alzheimer’s patients may forget well-known facts or events such as birthdays and phone numbers. Over time, memory worsens further and affects other functions of memory. Patients may then forget things they just learned and ask the same question over and over again.

·    Difficulty finding the right word

Alzheimer’s patients may also have problems with words early in the disease. Patients generally have difficulty finding the correct word and have a diminished vocabulary. They may forget words in the middle of a conversation, repeat parts of a conversation, or call things by the wrong name. Over time, speech worsens further and patients may develop problems understanding what is being said to them.

·    Misplacing things and forgetting familiar places

Misplacing things and not understanding what they see may also be seen early on in Alzheimer’s disease. Those affected by the disease may tend to put things in usual places and are unable to retrace their steps to find their misplaced object. This may lead them to blame others of stealing. Those with Alzheimer’s disease also have trouble finding their way around familiar places. As time goes, the patient may not be able to recognize objects and eventually not be able to recognize faces.

Later Symptoms

·    Problems doing everyday tasks

In the later stages of Alzheimer’s, patients may begin to have problems doing everyday tasks. It may be hard for patients to do chores, run errands, eat, get dressed, or even brush their teeth. This causes the patient to need every day help either from a family member or a caregiver.

·    Poor judgment and decision making

Another symptom that occurs later in the disease is the patient may develop poor judgment and decision making. An example of this is that they may pay less attention to their appearance and have poor hygiene. They may also make poor decisions with their money and give money to people they normally would not give it to.

·    Social withdrawal

Social withdrawal is also another common symptom that will appear in the later stage of the disease. Patients may withdraw from family gatherings, social events, and may stop doing things they used to enjoy doing. This could also be a sign of depression as well.

·    Changes in behavior

Lastly, in the later stage of Alzheimer’s, patients may have disturbances in their behavior. Patients may appear confused or depressed and may become agitated and aggressive. Some patients may wander or have hallucinations. Patients may also be delusional and believe something is true when it is not. An example of this is that an Alzheimer’s patient believing someone is coming to pick them up to go to the store when no one is actually coming.

What should I do if I experience some of these symptoms?

Having these symptoms does not necessarily mean you have Alzheimer’s disease. But if you or a family member experiences some of these symptoms consistently, you should consult your healthcare provider. They can rule out other causes of these symptoms or, if needed, begin treatment for Alzheimer’s disease early to treat the symptoms and delay the progression of the disease.

What are common risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease?

·      Age

Age is the greatest risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s disease. The odds of developing Alzheimer’s disease increases after 65 years of age. The risk doubles every 5 years after 65. After the age of 85, the lifetime risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease is even greater at about 50%.

·      Family history

A family history is also another risk factor of developing Alzheimer’s. If a parent, sibling, or child has the disease, you are more likely to get the disease. 

·      Depression

Depression has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Studies have shown that people with depression may be twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s.

·      Environment and lifestyle

Environmental and lifestyle factors play a role in developing Alzheimer’s disease. People who have head injuries, heart problems, diabetes, or obesity or who smoke have an increased risk of Alzheimer’s.

What medications are used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease?

There is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease at this time, and treatment is focused on reducing the symptoms and slowing the progression of the disease. There are 4 medications that are normally used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease: donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine, and memantine.

Donepezil, galantamine, and rivastigmine are a part of a class called cholinesterase inhibitors. They are usually used first in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. These drugs may help reduce symptoms and improve a patient’s ability to do daily activities. All 3 medications come in a tablet form while rivastigmine also comes as a patch. What is actually used depends on the patient. Factors such as patient preference, tolerability, and cost are all taken into account when deciding what treatment a patient will receive.

Memantine is in a different class of medications called NDMA antagonists and works differently from the other 3 medications. It has been shown to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in the moderate to severe stages. Memantine is usually used in combination with one of the medications above.

What can I do to prevent Alzheimer’s disease?

Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, there are ways of reducing your risk of developing it. Increasing physical activity has been shown to reduce cognitive diseases that affect the brain. Some small studies have shown that people who are physically active had a lower risk of developing cognitive diseases later in life.

Other studies have shown that people who engage in intellectual activities and are more highly educated may be at lower risk of developing cognitive diseases. Lower levels of education may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s by about 30%.  It has also been shown that people who did activities that engaged their brain in exercises involving memory and reasoning were at lower risk for Alzheimer’s disease as well.

Lastly, lifestyle changes can also reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. The Mediterranean Diet has been shown to decrease the risk of cognitive decline. The diet consists of fresh fruits, vegetables olive oil, dairy products, fish, poultry, and a limited amount of eggs and red meat. Other lifestyle changes such as social engagement may decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.  Marital status, participation in social and political events, and contact with family members have been studied in its relation to Alzheimer’s and have been shown to decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer’s.

Where can I find more information on Alzheimer’s disease?

If you would like to find out more about Alzheimer’s disease, below are few helpful resources:

·      Alzheimer’s Foundation of America: www.alzfdn.org

·      Alzheimer’s Association: www.alz.org

·      Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alzheimers-disease/DS00161

Written by:    Tuan Vu

Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate

College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago

UIC Pharmacy

September 2013