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Alzheimers Treatment

According to the Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's is the most frequent form of dementia (loss of memory and intellectual skills) and accounts for 50 to 70 percent of individuals with dementia. There is no cure for Alzheimer's, but treatment can help enhance the lives of Alzheimer's patients.

  1. Cognitive Treatment

    • The cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer's affect judgment, memory, speech, planning and focus. The five FDA-approved treatments for cognitive symptoms include Namenda, Exelon, Aricept, Razadyne and Cognex.

    Behavioral Treatment

    • The behavioral symptoms of Alzheimer's include verbal or physical outbursts, overall emotional distress, restlessness, shouting, paper or tissue shredding, delusions and hallucinations. Non-drug treatment approaches include teaching caregivers how to interact with patients, changing the home environment to allow easier functioning, and using therapeutic activities such as playing music and light exercise. If non-drug treatment is ineffective, the physician may prescribe medication to control the behavioral symptoms.

    New Developments

    • According to the Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research, their scientists are conducting research to develop new and more effective treatments for Alzheimer's. Some of these drugs would be designed to stop or reverse Alzheimer's underlying processes.

    Risk Factors

    • The Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation states that the risk of Alzheimer's increases after age 65 and with having a family member who has Alzheimer's (especially if they developed it before age 65).

    Statistics

    • According to the Alzheimer's Association, approximately 5.3 million Americans have Alzheimer's.

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