General information on the disease
Alzheimer's disease causes progressive cognitive degradation and it mainly occurs during the old and middle ages. According to the Alzheimer's Association (2013), it is the most common cause of dementia and it has adverse memory impairment results on the affected individuals. It is an irreversible brain disorder that gradually destroys thinking and memory skills, making it difficult for the affected to carry out simple tasks. This disease is currently ranked sixth among the top leading causes of death in the United States among old people after heart diseases and cancer. By 2012, more than five million in the US had this mental complication. Its causes vary largely depending on one’s type of brain and the developmental changes occurring in their old age. It is common for victims of this health complication to suffer from other brain disorders due to the vulnerabilities created through brain damage. There is no known cure for this complication aside from basic treatment to prolong their lives.
Signs and symptoms of this complication
Alzheimer's Disease symptoms are generally mild in the early stages of the complication, but they get worse as more brain cells get damaged. Memory lapses are the early symptoms of this complication and they cause the affected people to have difficulties in recalling new information and recent events. According to the National Institute on Aging (2016), this situation occurs since the hippocampus brain section is damaged in the preliminary stages of the disease development. As the complication advances, patients struggle to find the right words in a conversation, get lost in familiar places, or forget people they know. In some cases, patients experience difficulties in making decisions or concentrating for long periods. Language is an issue at early stages since the affected individuals often repeat themselves in verbal communication. In the most advanced stages, the patients act in strange ways and can call out random names, have difficulty with sleep or get easily agitated. However, it is essential to note that patients exhibit different symptoms depending on their brain type level of damage.
People affected by Alzheimer's disease
As mentioned earlier, the most vulnerable population to this complication is the aged. Precisely, men and women above 65 years old. Above this age, a person’s likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease is heightened by ten percent. This explains why one person in a group of eight suffers from dementia caused by the above-mentioned complication (National Institute on Aging, 2016). However, there are multiple factors resulting to this mental complication aside from age. For instance, women are more vulnerable to this disease than men are. The Alzheimer's Association’s reports that there are twice as more women above the age of 65 with this mental complication (2013). Researchers attribute this prevalence to the lack of estrogen hormone in women after menopause. Additionally, people with downs syndrome have a higher likelihood of developing this disease as opposed to those who don’t. Genetic inheritance heightens the chances of getting this disease. However, there are rare cases its development due to genetic composition, as it tends to develop independently at advanced ages.
A holistic look at how it affects the senior citizens
The primary reason for the development of this complication at advanced ages is the reduction in immunity and heightened vulnerabilities caused by other health complications. For instance, diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity in the mid life enhance an individual’s chance to develop this health complication. According to the Alzheimer's Association (2013), these complications contribute to depression that is a leading factor for Alzheimer's disease development. Lack of living healthy lifestyles at prime ages leads heightens the possibilities of developing dementia. Senior citizens are therefore exposed to the adverse effects caused by this complication due to their health vulnerabilities. Weaker immune systems and diseases related to old age make it easier for Alzheimer's disease to damage their brain cells. Advanced of this complication are reached since the complication is overlooked and considered to be an effect of old age. Failing to take the necessary treatment measures leads to the development of this complication among the seniors.
Statistics on the prevalence of this disease
Alzheimer's disease is the only leading cause of death in the United States that does not have a cure. Its prevalence and lack of remedy has enhanced the mortality rate of the aged with this medical condition. For instance, in 2015, it was estimated that nearly 700,000 people aged above 65 in the US would die from this complication. Official health reports indicate that the numbers of death credited to this mental complication have risen by nearly 71 percent between 2000 and 2013 (Alzheimer's Association, 2013). Contrastingly, heart disease related deaths have decreased by nearly 15 percent over time. Alzheimer's disease is one of the most expensive chronic diseases in the United States society. In 2015, nearly 226 billion was spent to facilitate care of patients (National Institute on Aging, 2016). Half of this amount was covered by Medicare, implying that the United States government invests tremendously on this complication. Finally, the information on this complication is rarely revealed to the patients by the caregivers. Less than 45 percent of the people diagnosed with this complication reported being informed of enlightened on the issue. This implies that a large section of patients is unaware of their medical conditions.
The current technology used to treat this complication
The technology is widely used to make the lives of the Alzheimer's disease patients more tolerable and to assist scientists in research. For instance, researchers at the University of Vienna have developed a mobile application to enhance the sleep patterns of dementia patients (Wegerer, 2014). This mobile application collects the patient’s protein data as they sleep and uploads it to a central server. After processing, generated feedback is forwarded to the patient’s phone to monitor their progress. Additionally, hands free technology is making a revolution in the world of Alzheimer's disease. For instance, Google glass takes pictures, gives direction and recognizes people’s faces with simple commands. This makes it easier for patients to utilize the GPS to find their way in case they forget the way home (Wegerer, 2014). Finally, useful tools in portable devices such as calendars and reminders ease a patient’s recall ability. As such, it becomes easier to associate with other people and counter the negative effects of this cognitive disorder.
Roles played by diagnosis and treatment of this complication
Early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or dementia is essential to one’s medical progress. Primarily, it makes it lesser challenging to deal with the symptoms and to relate to a patient in a more understandable way. Additionally, it paves the way for drug administration aimed at making the effects of the cognitive complications lesser severe to the patient. Early diagnosis equally allows the patients to prepare and plan for their future. Moreover, the caregiver is in a better position of anticipating their patient’s symptoms and dealing with the situation more cautiously. It is worth noting that there is no cure for this complication. However, some drugs are issued to neutralize the complexity of the effects caused by this medical condition. Drug and non-drug treatments are issued to make Alzheimer's disease more bearable. Drugs are issued to minimize memory problems. Personal care is done to assess the patient’s progress and to offer moral support.
How will the future be affected by the current treatment methods?
Enlightenment on the importance of early diagnosis and treatment would have a constructive effect on the development of this complication. For instance, if the caregivers are informed of the progress of this mental complication on the people they care for prior to its advanced development, it would be relatively easier to combat the effects. Having prior knowledge of the probable symptoms and most appropriate measures lessens the negative impacts of this complication. Moreover, the technological advancements intentioned to reduce the burden caused by this disease would most likely better the situation. Precisely, the integration of modern software in enhancing sleep and memorability heightens the hopes of ceasing control over this cognitive problem. Consequently, the future would be positively affected by the current trends in treatment and diagnosis.
In conclusion, Alzheimer's disease greatly affects the aged and is caused by a variety of factors. Women are more prone to this complication as opposed to men. There is no cure to this cognitive impairment and this makes it one of the deadliest incurable killer diseases. The effects inflicted on the brain cells are irreversible implying that one cannot get better once the complication is in its advanced stages. It is essential for caregivers to make constant appointments with medical advisors to gain insight on the most effective ways to deal with patients. The current trends in diagnosis and treatment are effective and this creates a promising situation about the possibility of achieving better results in future. For a fact, Alzheimer's disease is a severe medical complication that needs to be addressed with appropriate care for more effective results.
References
Alzheimer's Association. (2013). Latest Alzheimer's Facts and Figures. Latest Facts & Figures Report Alzheimer's Association. Retrieved 27 February 2016, from http://www.alz.org/facts/
National Institute on Aging,. (2016). Alzheimer's Disease Fact Sheet. National Institute on Aging. Retrieved 27 February 2016, from https://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publication/alzheimers-disease-fact-sheet
Wegerer, J. (2014). Emerging Technology Improves Lives of Alzheimer's Patients. Alzheimers.net. Retrieved 27 February 2016, from http://www.alzheimers.net/2014-02-20/technology-changes-future-of-alzheimers/
