Alzheimer Treatment, Prevention, and Reduction in Patients

Alzheimer Treatment, Prevention, and Reduction in Patients

Typically, Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative illness that mostly affects older people leading to Dementia. Alzheimer’s currently affects approximately 4 million United States residents and is believed to be the fourth leading cause of untimely death in America. It is a clear indication of the diverse impacts of Alzheimer’s on American citizens.  The disease causes mental problems among the elderly, accounting for the increased admissions in nursing homes and other long-term care institutions. The disease manifests itself through different psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions, which are evident among most patients. However, there are treatment procedures, prevention techniques, and possible ways of reducing the severity of the disease to improve the quality of life of a patient.

Treatment Procedure

Treatment of Alzheimer’s requires an intervention of more than one drug to treat it because of its complex nature successfully. According to the national institute on Aging, the available treatment for Alzheimer’s is focused on ensuring that the mental and behavioral symptoms of the disease are slowed down (National Institute on Aging). There are several drug prescriptions in the United States which are approved by the FDA, also referred to like the food and drug administration. The available treatment is aimed at ensuring a patient’s dignity, comfort, and independence for an increased duration. However, most of the medicines available for Alzheimer’s only work well for younger patients as compared to older patients. Therefore, it is vital to understand that there is no specific treatment for Alzheimer’s, but the symptoms can be controlled.

The treatments for Alzheimer’s are issued through an evaluation of the symptoms, which are mild to moderate and moderate to severe. Medications called cholinesterase inhibitors are issued for mild to moderate Alzheimer’s cases. These drugs ensure that the symptoms facing patients are reduced and their behavioral symptoms controlled. However, Alzheimer’s needs a precise diagnosis and early and etiological treatment to fight the signs effectively (Mendiola-Precoma et al.). Early diagnosis ensures that the rate of progression is reduced, although this treatment cannot reverse the disease. Therefore, prevention is a better remedy for the public health problem facing most American residents. The National Institute on Aging affirms that the cholinesterase inhibitors breakdown acetylcholine, which is a brain chemical believed to be essential for memory. As Alzheimer’s advances, the brain cells produce a reduced amount of acetylcholine, making the inhibitors lose their effects with time.

The treatments for moderate to severe cases of Alzheimer’s require a different approach as compared to mild to moderate symptoms. The procedures for moderate to severe cases require a medication referred to as Namenda. The drug is believed to reduce the symptoms of severe Alzheimer cases ensuring that patients are in a position to continue with their daily routines (national Institute on Aging). Namenda is believed to work by regulating glutamate, which is a vital brain chemical. Cholinesterase inhibitors and Nameda can be prescribed together for a patient suffering from a severe case of Alzheimer’s. Most doctors advise for a particular form of treatment by looking at a patient’s age, medical history, overall health, and severity of the disease. There are other requirements, such as lifestyle and personal preference, which can also have an impact on the type of medication that a patient is given.

Prevention Techniques

Prevention of Alzheimer’s is the best solution for the disease since there is no cure. However, there is no specific method or approach to the prevention of the disease. Nevertheless, there are different forms of evidence which proves that several factors such as a change of lifestyle play a significant role in reducing the risk involved in contracting Alzheimer’s disease and other different types of Dementia (Graff-Radford). Graff-Radford also affirms that practicing a healthy lifestyle also reduces the risk of cognitive decline and Dementia. A healthy lifestyle involves eating healthy foodstuffs, keeping the brain active through learning, and physical activity. Focusing on the Mediterranean diet also is believed to enhance cognitive activity and improve the body’s immune system. The Mediterranean diet involves legumes, fruits, fish, and the use of olive oil for cooking.

Other prevention mechanisms involve developing the right lifestyle, which ensures that the body is not subjected to any toxic substances. A person can avoid smoking or reduce the number of cigarettes consumed daily to ensure that they reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Controlling vascular diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels also help in improving the chance of getting Alzheimer’s disease, and taking part in physical activities such as aerobics and exercise helps in preventing Alzheimer’s disease and its severity. Monitoring your mental health and keeping the brain active also helps in preventing Alzheimer’s disease.

Reduction of the effects in patients

A Reduction of the disease on patients is dependent on the severity of the disease. The progress of the disease can be classified into three parts, which involve the patient forgetting things or people within their immediate environment. This is followed by the confusional phase, where a patient seems to be confused and Dementia, which is the final stage of the disease. The forgetful stage of the disease is characterized by a loss of memory either in the long or short term. At this stage, the disease can be treated by using medicines such as cholinesterase inhibitors, which improve brain activity. Most patients at this stage have a big problem trying to remember basic things within their immediate environment. The first stage of the disease is the easiest to treat since the symptoms are not so severe. However, it is essential to note that some patients can quickly recover from Alzheimer’s through the support of friends and family.

During the Confessional stage, cognitive deterioration is experienced, and memory loss is now pronounced. Most people in this stage have a difficult time remembering the day or time of the week, and they can also not recognize their own identity. At these stages, individuals also show poor judgment and a change in their personality. The severity at this stage can be reduced using a drug called Namenda. The drug can overcome the symptoms, which are moderate at this stage. This ensures that a patient can go back to their daily lives. In the final phase of Dementia, there is a considerable loss of mental abilities and memory. At this stage, a combination of cholinesterase inhibitors and Namada can be prescribed for patients to reduce the symptoms of the disease. However, at this stage, the patient can quickly become bedridden as a result of the disintegration of brain functions.

Caring for patients with Dementia to reduce its effects

Caring for patients with Dementia requires an increase in the management of daily tasks as the disease progresses. Making a patient with Dementia to participate in different activities is vital towards their recovery and living a healthy life. As a caregiver, one needs to ensure that they reduce all the frustrations that patients with Dementia face within their immediate environment. This, therefore, implies that as a caregiver, you need to schedule wisely the kind of routine you want the patient to take part in daily. As a caregiver, you need to take your time with a patient to ensure that they finish all their tasks well. Also, ensure that you involve the patient in the activities to ensure that their brain function is easily monitored.

In some cases, you can provide choices for the patients to ensure that they don’t become agitated when they cannot solve simple tasks on their own. As a caregiver, ensure that you provide patients with Dementia with simple instructions that they can easily understand and comprehend. This makes it easier for them to complete their tasks quickly and fast. Reducing distractions and limiting their napping time also ensures that they are focused on their daily routines, which increases their chances of living a healthy life.

Caregivers also need to ensure that they are flexible with their routines since Dementia progresses with time making the patients more dependant. To reduce their frustrations, caregivers can be open-minded and lower their expectations and always adapt to their needs. Since patients with Dementia tend to impair judgment making them easily susceptible to injury, it is crucial to create a safe environment. Creating a safe environment involves using locks to ensure that they cannot go outside or ensuring that their surrounding is free from objects that can easily harm them as a caregiver one can also ensure that they focus on individualized care. This is because patients have different progression rates and various symptoms. Therefore, practicing flexibility alongside patience ensures that they live a healthy life, and the impact of Dementia is reduced.

There are treatment procedures, prevention techniques, and possible ways of reducing the severity of the disease to improve the quality of life of a patient. In recent years there has been a lot of medical intervention aiming at reducing the severity of Dementia. Alzheimer’s results in full-blown Dementia affecting most families across the globe. Therefore, the care approach, programs, and other initiatives need to focus on a long term solution to this problem. Coming up with an elaborate care plan for a patient requires a proper examination of the patient to determine the most appropriate mode of treatment to use. This is because the condition is complex and comes with different symptoms for different patients. However, as caregivers, we can ensure that we focus on home treatment, which is more effective for such patients. This is because a patient can quickly recover in the presence of loved ones.

Works Cited

Bredesen, Dale. The end of Alzheimer’s: The first program to prevent and reverse cognitive decline. Penguin, 2017.

Graff-Radford, Jonathan. “Alzheimer’s Prevention: Does It Exist?” Mayo Clinic, 20 Apr. 2019, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/expert-answers/alzheimers-prevention/faq-20058140.

Mayo Clinic Staff. “Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care: Tips for Daily Tasks.” Mayo Clinic, 7 May 2019, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/caregivers/in-depth/alzheimers-caregiver/art-20047577.

Mendiola-Precoma, J., et al. “Therapies for prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.” BioMed research international 2016 (2016).

National Institute on Aging. “How Is Alzheimer’s Disease Treated?” National Institute on Aging, www.nia.nih.gov/health/how-alzheimers-disease-treated.

Ravdin, Lisa D., Melanie Lucas, and Heather L. Katzen. “Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus.” Handbook on the Neuropsychology of Aging and Dementia. Springer, Cham, 2019. 601-618.