Alzhimers
Does the public understand, what it means to possess this terrible disease (Alzhimers disease)? Alzhimers disease impinges on approximately 5 million people in the U.S. Over time, Alzhimers disease slowly destroys a person's memory and ability to learn and carry out daily activities such as talking, eating, and going to the bathroom. As the disease progresses, individuals may also go through changes in personality and behavior. Unfortunately, there are no cures for Alzhimers disease and there is no way to predict how fast someone will progress through the stages of the disease. People who have Alzhimers , their brain starts toshrink and eventually, lose control over bodily functions. However, early Alzhimers diagnosis and treatment can slow down the progression of Alzhimers symptoms. If you or someone you are caring for is suffering from Alzhimers disease, you may want to talk with the doctor about a unique Alzhimers medication called Namenda® (memantine HCl)*. It works in an entirely different way than all of the other Alzhimers therapies on the market, and has been shown in clinical trials to safely and effectively treat moderate to severe Alzhimers disease. In addition, I wrote down a couple of signs that describe people who may have horrid disease.
• Misplaces valuable possessions; hides things or puts things away in strange places and then forgets where they are.
• Can no longer think logically or clearly. Can’t organize their own speaking or follow others’ logic. Can no longer follow written or oral instructions or a sequence of steps. Arithmetic and money problems escalate.
• Disconnected from reality. Does not recognize self in the mirror. May think that a television story is real.
• Cannot walk, stand, sit up, or hold up their head without assistance. Falls frequently if not assisted or propped well. Bedridden.
Furthermore, the FDA has approved five medications to treat Alzhimers. None of these medications can stop the disease from progressing, but they can slow the deterioration and help lessen the symptoms associated with the disease. For mild to moderate Alzhimers, four drugs are approved. Razadyne, Exelon, Aricept and Cognex are all cholinesterase inhibitors. They can delay the symptoms and may prevent them from becoming worse. These drugs stop the breakdown of acetylcholine, a brain chemical which is thought to affect memory and thinking. Each drug works in a similar way, though some patients may tolerate one more than another. The FDA has also approved Aricept for severe Alzhimers, and Namenda is also used in these cases. It controls the glutamate, a brain chemical that can kill off brain cells. Because Namenda has a different function, doctors may prescribe Aricept with it.
Although the FDA has approved the five aforementioned medications for the different stages of Alzhimers, they have some mild side effects. The cholinesterase inhibitors used for mild-to-moderate Alzhimers have few such side effects when properly introduced to the patient's system, but common ones are nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, indigestion, abdominal pain and loss of appetite. Doctors prescribe low dosages of the medicine and slowly increase the dosage until reaching an optimal level. This way, side effects tend to be mild and disappear in a few weeks. Namenda, the medicine used for severe Alzhimers, is easy to administer and has few side effects, though some patients may experience dizziness, headaches, constipation and slight confusion when first starting the medication. There is little drug interaction with Namenda, which is a good thing, since the elderly usually take a number of different medications. Namenda also delays the progression of the disease.
There may be some misconceptions and even some difficulty in accepting the situation of this disease whether it is on the side of the patient or from the people around him or her. For instances such as these, the right counseling and guidance is needed as part of the proper Alzhimers treatment. These people did not choose to have this disease, so they should be treated with the same amount of respect as used for others.
Alzhimers
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