Alzheimer's - What Can We Do About It, If Anything!

Dementia is a hot topic and with an aging population it is not surprising that Alzheimer's disease takes center stage when age related conditions are discussed. It is currently affecting one in ten people aged 65 and over.

Even now, this complex disease is not that well understood. Studies into the disorder have shown you have a grater chance of acquiring Alzheimer's the older you become. Unfortunately, the person experiencing the early symptoms of Alzheimer's will know something is wrong but won't admit it to others or even to themselves.

General measures for treatment of Alzheimer's disease are the same as for all dementias. Despite the studies, there is no permanent treatment for the condition but there are a number of drugs which can help with the condition. The three main medications currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of Alzheimer's disease are Donepezil, Tacrine, and Rivastigmine.

Patients with mild to severe Alzheimer's who are already receiving Donepezil are now given Memantine as an alternative. There are very few side effects and four fifths of it are passed out in urine unchanged by the kidneys.

Alzheimer's disease has become a major issue as it is already the fourth largest killer in the United States. That is not the only problem, the annual cost of treating and care for sufferers is in excess of 40 billion dollars and is expected to rise well beyond this in the future. Last year the National Institute on Aging spent half of its annual budget on research into age related disease, they are now testing over three hundred compounds at any one time.

One way to help lower the risk of dementia and one that you can have responsibility for is to change how you live by eating healthily and taking regular exercise. Studies have also indicated that a number of Alzheimer's patients have reduced their rate of decline by staying healthy and happy. Fortunately this disease is still mainly affecting elderly people but there have been recent occasions where younger persons have developed this disease.