By Allison, Valerie, and Josh

What is Alzheimer's Disease?

● progressive, degenerative disorder that attacks the brain's nerve cells, or neurons, resulting in loss of memory, thinking and language skills, and behavioral changes

●most common cause of dementia, or loss of

intellectual function, among people aged 65 and older.

●not a normal part of aging.

●dates back to 1906 when Dr. Alois Alzheimer, a German physician, presented a case history before a medical meeting of a 51-year-old woman who suffered from a rare brain disorder. A brain autopsy identified the plaques and tangles that today characterize Alzheimer's disease.

What is Alzheimer's Disease?

Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures 2012

What causes Alzheimer's Disease?

Genetics Lifestyle Environmental Factors

Plaques and Tangles

Risk Factors Age Heredity Gender Down's Syndrome Academic Level Whiplash and Head Injuries Atrial Firbrillation Heart Disease Risk Factors Type 2 Diabetes

Prevention

• Diet• Exercise• Physical Mental

•No Cure•Only helps for symptoms•Medications for Memory Loss•Treatment for Behavior •Treatment for Sleep Changes•Alternative Methods

Treatment

Medications For Memory• Two types both Help with Memory loss and

thinking problems– Cholinesterase inhibitors: Mild to Moderate stages– Memantine: Late stages

Cholinesterase Inhibitors

• Prevent breakdown of acetylcholine a chemical important to learning and Memory

• Delay worsening 6-12months for 50% of users• Generally work well some side effects such as

nausea and loss of appetite

Types of Medications

• Aricept: All Stages• Exelon: Mild-Moderate• Razadyne: Mild- Moderate• Taracine: One of the first medications passed

and prescribed, but now less often due to severe side effects.

Memantine

• Can be used with or without inhibitors, may sometimes be more beneficial paired with inhibitors, but case by case basis

• Regulates glutamate: a different chemical used in memory

• Delays symptoms • Head aches, constipation, and confusion• Namenda

Behavior Changes

Early Stages • Irritability • Anxiety • Depression

Late Stages • Anger • Agitation • Aggression • General emotional distress • Physical or verbal outbursts • Restlessness, pacing, shredding

paper or tissues • Hallucinations (seeing, hearing or

feeling things that are not really there)

• Delusions (firmly held belief in things that are not true)

• Sleep disturbances

Treatment Options

Non Drug Approaches • Recognizing that the person is

not just "acting mean or ornery," but is having further symptoms of the disease

• Identifying the cause and how the symptom may relate to the experience of the person with Alzheimer's

• Changing the environment to resolve challenges and obstacles to comfort, security and ease of mind

Drug Approaches • Anti Depressant

– citalopram (Celexa) fluoxetine (Prozac)

• Anxiolytics– lorazepam (Ativan), oxazepam

(Serax)

• Antipsychotic medications– aripiprazole (Abilify) clozapine

(Clozaril)

Treatment Options

• Non drug approaches are tried before the use of drugs, a lot of problems are caused by situations that the patient can no longer understand , drugs are only used after non drug approaches have failed

• Be sure to ask medical professionals the risks and benefits of opting for drug approaches.

Sleep Differences Non-Drug

• Maintain regular times for meals and for going to bed and getting up

• Seek morning sunlight exposure • Encourage regular daily exercise, but no

later than four hours before bedtime • Avoid alcohol, caffeine and nicotine • Treat any pain • If the person is taking a cholinesterase

inhibitor (tacrine, donepezil, rivastigmine or galantamine), avoid giving the medicine before bed

• Make sure the bedroom temperature is comfortable

• Provide nightlights and security objects • If the person awakens, discourage staying

in bed while awake; use the bed only for sleep

• Discourage watching television during periods of wakefulness

Drug

• Tricyclic antidepressants, such as nortriptyline and trazodone

• Benzodiazepines, such as lorazepam, oxazepam and temazepam

• “Sleeping pills” such as zolpidem, zaleplon and chloral hydrate

• “Atypical” antipsychotics such as risperidone, onlanzapine and quetiapine

• Older “classical” antipsychotics such as haloperidol

Alternative Methods

• Caprylic acid and coconut oil• Coenzyme Q10• Coral calcium• Ginkgo biloba• Huperzine A• Omega-3 fatty acids• Phosphatidylserine• Tramiprosate

Risks to Alternative Methods

• Safety and Effect is unknown• Purity is Unknown• Bad Reactions not routinely monitored • Dietary supplements could affect other meds.

Source Page

http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_treatments.asp

http://www.ahaf.org/alzheimers/about/understanding/plaques-and-tangles.html

http://www.ahaf.org/alzheimers/about/understanding/brain-nerve-cells.html