Alzheimer’s disease: Causes & treatment – A review

Alzheimer's disease is an unavoidable neurological disorder in which the death of brain cells causes memory loss and cognitive decline and ultimate dementia. It is the most common cause of dementia in people of 65 years and older. It affects 10% of people over the age of 65 and 50% over the age of 85 years. Approximately 4million Alzheimer's patients in the United States (U.S.) and the annual treatment costs = $100 billion. It is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States and is becoming prevalent in many other countries. The total brain size shrinks with Alzheimer's - the tissue has progressively fewer nerve cells and connections. As such there is no known cure for Alzheimer's disease the death of brain cells in the dementia cannot be halted or reversed. Along with an aim to improve research in to prevention and treatment, the goals of the plan also include measures for present interventions. To help people suffering expand supports for people with Alzheimer's disease and their families, and enhance public awareness and engagement and expand your support towards them. Enhance care quality and efficiency. There are no disease-modifying drugs available for Alzheimer's disease but some options may reduce its symptoms and help improve quality of life and thereby help the patients to some extent. There are four drugs in a class called cholinesterase inhibitor approved for symptomatic relief in the US i.e., Donepezil (brand name Aricept), Alantamine (Reminyl), Rivastigmine and Tacrine (Cognex). A different kind of drug, memantine (Namenda), an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, may also be used, alone or in combination with a cholinesterase inhibitor. As with other types of dementia and neurodegenerative disease, a major part of therapy for patients with Alzheimer's comes from the support given by healthcare workers to provide dementia quality-of-life care, which becomes more important as needs increase with declining independence and increasing dependence.