Main Goals for Treatment of Patient M.W
Alzheimer’s disease is usually a progressive disease that results from brain cells degeneration and dying. Alzheimer’s disorder is also the most general root of dementia, a condition characterized by gradual decline in an individual’s thinking capacity, behavioral and social-based skills, thus interrupting an individual’s ability to conduct routine activities independently (Alzheimer’s Association, 2016). The early symptoms of Alzheimer’s incorporate, forgetting current events and interactions. However, as the disorder progresses, the patient possessing Alzheimer’s disorder develops acute memory impairment and thus incapacitated to conduct routine activities. Various prescriptions may be administered to Alzheimer’s disease, which objects at temporarily enhancing the signs of the disorder or slowing the rate of memory loss. Therefore, the medications sometimes aid Alzheimer’s patients to optimize functioning and sustenance of independency for a significant duration. Also, various programs and amenities may assist in supporting individuals with Alzheimer’s disorder and their respective caregivers. Correspondingly, during the late phases of the disease development, complexities resulting from acute brain damage include malnutrition, dehydration, or infections, which can lead to mortality.
Main Goals for Treatment of Patient M.W
M.W, from the case study presented, is a seventy-year-old patient of Caucasian originality who possesses a medical account of various diseases, which includes hypertension causing elevated plasma pressure, osteoarthritis, which the most experienced form of arthritis where different human joints are affected, fibrillation and hysterectomy. Additionally, she currently experiences acute memory loss after which reporting to the respective medical practitioner; she is diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s disorder following the presentation of the disease’s initial symptoms. Alzheimer’s symptoms occur gradually and might commence with the prospective patient experiencing difficulties remembering numerous events that previously occurred. However, the disorder’s acuteness elevates, exposing the patient to various dangers if left alone. Patient M.W, from the case study, is diagnosed with the early phase of the disease, mild Alzheimer’s disease after she presents events where acute signs of brain malfunction.
Further, she admits the existence of Alzheimer’s disorder, where she explains an incidence where she had gone shopping and forgets where she had packed her car. The information was critical for her treatment process. Additionally, her daughter, who had accompanied her during the medical visit, certifies that her mother, patient M.W, memory has deteriorated over the previous years. Generally, the mild phase of Alzheimer’s takes approximately two to four years. Hence, the prime goal for the treatment of patient M.W from the case study is to reduce the acuteness of Alzheimer’s disorder through the improvement of brain functioning and reducing the rate of brain cell degeneration. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
Drug Therapy
Alzheimer’s disorder is a compound disease, and it is therefore unlikely that a solitary medication can effectively treat it. The dominant mechanism concentrates on aiding the patients to sustain mental function, regulate behavioral signs, and minimize the symptoms of the disorder. Various medication drugs are presently certified by the United States Food and Drug Administration, generally abbreviated as the FDA, to treat individuals infected with Alzheimer’s disorder. Therefore, treating the acute signs associated with the illness may offer patients with comfort, independence, and dignity for a considerable duration and may also encourage and help their respective caregivers in managing their patients. The most common prescription for mild and moderate Alzheimer’s disease includes cholinesterase inhibitors. Therefore, since patient M.W suffers from mild Alzheimer’s, the optimal medication incorporates the cholinesterase inhibitors. The prescription will aid in minimizing her memory loss condition and help in regulating various behavioral symptoms. The inhibitors include galantamine, rivastigmine, and donepezil. The stated medicines possess specific objective where donepezil averts the collapse of acetylcholine within the brain system; rivastigmine averts the cessation of acetylcholine and butyrylcholine within the patient’s brain system and galantamine exhibits the breakdown of acetylcholine and catalyzes nicotine receptors to produce more acetylcholine in patient’s brain thus enhancing generation of more brain cells (Cummings et al., 2016). Nevertheless, the patient may experience various side implications such as nausea, diarrhea, constant exhaustion, weight loss, and feebleness.
Management of Alzheimers Disease Treatment
Although the concentration of various medical professions is the regulation of Alzheimer’s disorder with cholinesterase inhibitors, it is paramount that respective medical practitioners initiate an international management mechanism for their patients and their caregivers. The global management techniques incorporate appropriate early diagnosis and offering counseling services and pharmacological prescriptions to the respective patient and their caregivers. Also, the patient and separate caregiver (s) must comprehend and agree on the form of medicine the medical profession selects to employ during appropriate patient treatment.
Naming the disease. The monitoring of Alzheimer’s disease progression commences with naming the disorder and evaluating its acuteness. The pharmaceutical diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease may be accurate, up-to ninety percent of the time. Statistically, Alzheimer’s disease may be appropriately diagnosed in extreme mildly impaired patients. Also, the distinctive diagnosis for Alzheimer’s disorder may be established through histopathology testing of the brain tissue following the patient’s demise. However, early diagnosis of the disease enables appropriate scheduling of the fiscal, legal, and medical care issues by the patient and their caregivers.
Importance of the primary care clinician. The primary care clinician manages the developing figure of individuals with Alzheimer’s disorder in collaboration with the respective caregivers. Additionally, the primary care provider manages the diagnostic and pharmacological prescription components of regulating the relevant disease. Also, the clinical psychologist helps in the diagnosis of initial phase or uncertain dementia and offers competence in behavioral mechanisms to problems like depression associated with the related disorder.
Patient Education Centered on the Prescriptions
Following the diagnosis and prescription of Alzheimer’s disease, the relevant practitioner is expected to offer honest and composed education concerning what is medically known regarding the condition, treatment process, and the various complexities associated with the disease prescriptions. Additionally, knowledge incorporates the recognition of the common symptoms and signs possible to happen during the disease progression, thus aiding in the formulation of safety schedules and health preservation. Also, the provision of treatment material such as the three ‘R’s,’ which stands for reassuring, redirect, and repeat, might aid the respective caregivers to minimize escalating behaviors and constrain the demand for pharmacological management. Correspondingly, the allied medical profession should guide the patient on how to take the prescription, the anticipated side implications, and offer regular appointment dates to ensure close follow-up of the appropriate patient’s progress.
Mental Status and Neuropsychological Testing
Despite the physical examination and presentation of symptoms similar to patient M.W case, the respective medical practitioner may request more extended kinds of neuropsychological test which offers additional information concerning the mental capacity of the patient in contrast with individuals with equivalent age and education position. From the case study, patient M.W is seventy years old, and thus persons of similar age are relevant for comparing their mental capacity. Subsequently, the tests are critical for initiating a commencing point to tracking the advancement of various symptoms during prospective disease management. The analyses include brain imaging through magnetic resonance imaging, usually referred to as the MRI and computerized tomography, also called the CT (Apostolova, 2016). The MRI and CT tests indicate visible abnormalities associated with other conditions like stroke, tumors, and trauma, which may result in cognitive change rather than the effects of Alzheimer’s disorder. Additionally, the new imaging features detect particular brain changes resulting from Alzheimer’s disease.
Reactions which may cause Change of the Current Prescriptions
Patient M.W prescriptions include cholinesterase inhibitors (galantamine, rivastigmine, and donepezil). Nevertheless, in case the side impacts like vomiting and nausea, feebleness, diarrhea and significant weight loss occurs, the relevant medical profession may change the medication type, dosage quantities or regulations associated with the drug intake like the relevant patient must feed before consuming the medication or consume with more liquid.
Over the Counter or Alternative Prescriptions for Patient M.W
There are various over the counter based prescriptions for patients who have Alzheimer’s disease like patient M.W such as Aquavit –E, E pherol, which may aid control her condition. Additionally, following the stated reactions to the galantamine, donepezil, and rivastigmine, patient M.W may be prescribed to consume Razadyne, Razadyne ER, or namzaric.
Lifestyle Changes for Patient M.W
Alongside the stated pharmaceutical prescriptions, patient M.W should adjust various lifestyle behaviors to ensure effective management of her illness. Firstly, she should ensure that she consumes the said medicine in the stated time and follow the specified prescription instructions by her relevant medical profession. Secondly, she should guarantee that she reports for the routine medical appointments accordingly to warrant that the appropriate physician can effectively track her health progress. Thirdly, she should train her brain system to recall events and conversions through practicing mindfulness and consuming fish oil supplements, which aids in memory recovery through enhancement of brain functions and development. Fourth, she should effectively manage her hypertension through maintaining a healthy body mass index, reducing consumption of added sugar, which significantly lowers the generation of brain-centered neurotropic elements and also contributes to weight gain (Viña & Sanz‐Ros, 2018). Lastly, patient M.W should adopt the consumption of diet structure for persons with heart disorders to manage her atrial fibrillation condition. Such dietary incorporates the use of various types of fresh fruits, herbs instead of consuming sodium, fish, lean meat, and fresh vegetables. Therefore, the stated dietary ensures management of atrial fibrillation, which is signified with irregular heartbeats, which may cause stroke, plasma clots, and heart failure amidst other heart-linked complexities.
Drug-Drug Interactions
Drug to drug interaction elaborates that a change in a medication’s impacts on the patient’s body when the prescription is consumed alongside the subsequent medicine. Drug to drug interaction may delay, minimize, or promote the absorption rate for either drug, thus elevating or decreasing the response of both or one drug or even result in extreme effects. Various prescriptions interact with the selected medication like donepezil, which interacts energetically with galantamine in a reasonable manner, causing fewer side effects (Jeevitha & Pandey, 2016).
Follow-Up Plan
After the diagnosis and initial treatment of patient M.W, a follow-up schedule should be established by the relevant medical practitioner to oversee the enhancement of the patient’s health. The respective clinician should set a date for a subsequent routine appointment and may also ensure the patient’s wellness through telephone calls to the patient to inquire about her health progress before the appointment day and to remind the relevant patient of when to make the subsequent visit. From the case study, patient M.W has had an account of forgetting the specific dates for her routine medical visits, thus requires constant reminders before the due date. Also, during the subsequent appointment, the medical practitioner should analyze for cognitive decline, complexities like behavior, and mental signs of dementia, and balance disorder. Additionally, the follow-up schedule objects at detecting, averting and treating complications associated with Alzheimer’s disease and enhance the application of residual functional capabilities in fundamental routine activities. Lastly, interaction and collaboration among medical specialists, family practitioners, and respective caregivers are required to accomplish the objective of excellent living for Alzheimer’s disorder patients.