Essay Alzheimer s disease

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Alzheimer’s disease is growing in numbers every year and is “predicted to double every 20 years through 2040” (Brayne, Mayeux, Reitz). What is Alzheimer’s disease? “Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia and is characterized by a progressive decline in cognitive function, which typically begins with deterioration in memory” (Brayne, Mayeux, Reitz). Alzheimer’s is not the normal part of aging, but most people with a diagnosis of the disease are over the age of 65. Symptoms usually start off slow and then progress to a point that a caregiver is needed 24/7. Some symptoms of the disease include memory loss or unable to obtain newly learned information, confusion, changes in behavior, difficulty with speech and even with ambulation. As we grow older our brains slow down and we may notice some slowed thinking and some minor problems with remembering, but with Alzheimer’s the memory loss is severe and confusion sets in.
There are three clinical stages to Alzheimer’s disease, but there are seven behavioral stages to the disease. It is very important that you know each stage of the disease and what is expected with each stage to help care for your patient or loved one. Patients with this disease need to have stable environments and be shown love and support every day. During the first clinical stage there are “no cognitive impairments just abnormal biomarker patterns” (The Lancet) and this stage may last a decade or maybe even more. The second clinical stage there may be mild cognitive impairment. The third clinical stage is the disease full blown with dementia. Risk factors for patients being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease include diabetes type two, low body weight, elevated plasma lipid levels, metabolic syndrome, smoking, depressive symptoms, psychological stress, and traumatic brain injury. Some protective factors for patients to reduce their risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s diseases
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