What Are the Treatments for Alzheimer's Using Potassium?

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, which is the decline of a person's ability to function mentally and socially, according to the Mayo Clinic staff. Although there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, there are some drugs and preventative measures, including potassium-sparing diuretics.

Risk Factors for Alzheimer's Disease

• Although there is no one cause for Alzheimer's, researchers have identified several risk factors, according to the Mayo Clinic staff. These include: increasing age; heredity, especially a first-degree relative; high blood pressure; high cholesterol; poorly controlled diabetes; low level of education; and being female.

Current Medications for Alzheimer's Disease

• There are two main types of medication that doctors prescribe for Alzheimer's disease.

  In 2009, the Mayo Clinic staff reported that there are two main types of medications prescribed for patients with Alzheimer's disease. The first type, called "cholinestrase inhibitors," works to improve the function of neurotransmitters in the brain. The second type works to prevent brain damage caused by the chemical messenger glutamate, according to the Mayo Clinic Staff.

Potassium-Sparing Diuretics May Prevent Dementia

• In his book "The Alzheimer's Answer: Reduce Your Risk and Keep Your Brain Healthy," Dr. Marwan Sabbagh explains that potassium-sparing diuretics may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease by as much as 70 percent. The study, conducted in Cache County, Utah, compared the effectiveness of different hypertension medications and found them effective at preventing the onset of Alzheimer's to varying degrees.

No Cure for Alzheimer's

• Sabbagh explains that once Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed, the disease will be present until the end of a patient's life. The progression of the disease, however, can be slowed by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, according to Sabbagh.

Prevent Alzheimer's by Eliminating Risk Factors

• Staying active is one way to prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

  The key to preventing Alzheimer's, according to Sabbagh, is reducing your risk factors for the disease. Some cannot be altered, such as age, gender and genetics; but patients can reduce their risk of developing Alzheimer's by controlling blood pressure, controlling diabetes, maintaining a healthy weight, taking folic acid and keeping your heart healthy.