Alzheimer's Disease And The Drugs Used To Treat It - By: Carol Bell

Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative disorder of the mind that gets progressively worse with time; it has become famous in recent years although it is not a new form of dementia. Alzheimer's is estimated to affect one in ten people over the age of sixty-five causing problems with the memory centres of the mind; the ability to diagnose the problem however, has increased with an accuracy figure of approximately ninety percent.

Alois Alzheimer a German physician first discovered the disease back in 1906 but it has only really been in the world's focus for just over thirty years; even though it has been scientifically studied for many years, knowledge surrounding this disease is minimal.

According to studies, it is advancing age that is the greatest risk to developing Alzheimer's disease. Often, a person experiencing their first signs of Alzheimer's is unable or unwilling to admit it to themselves or anyone else; this often cause delays in the diagnosis.

As far as treatment is concerned, Alzheimer's disease is treated in the same manner as other types of dementia. Some drugs can now slow down and sometimes improve the symptoms but so far no treatment has been discovered that can cure the disorder. The mental abilities of an Alzheimer's disease sufferer can be improved with the use of prescribed medication like Donepezil, Tacrine, and Rivastigmine; they can improve the mental faculties of patients with this condition by up to twenty-six weeks.

Memantine is a new drug that slows deterioration during the later stages and is a derivative of the decades old anti-influenza drug Amantadine; this new drug is used on patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer's already receiving Donepezil. Memantine side effects are minimal but it is the first treatment to show a distinct effect on patients with a serious condition; because four fifths of it is passed out in urine unchanged by the kidneys, patients do not risk having their bodies retaining it in large quantities.

Because people are living longer Alzheimer's disease has become a serious health problem that governments must face; in the United States it is fourth in the list of fatal diseases. That is not the only problem because medical costs continue to increase and is something that needs some long term consideration; the annual cost of treatment and care for sufferers is in excess of 40 billion dollars and is expected to rise well beyond this in the future.

Another large body, the National Institute on Aging spent almost half of its yearly research fund into the condition; scientists worldwide are seeking a treatment for the disease with a large number of compounds being tested.

To help you reduce the chance of contracting dementia, it's important to adopt a healthy lifestyle, choose carefully what you eat and drink and take more exercise. Studies have also indicated that a number of Alzheimer's patients have reduced their rate of decline by staying healthy and happy. At the moment, the disease is still primarily affecting the aged; there have however, been recent occasions (although rare) where a younger person has developed this condition.

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