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Alzheimer's disease
Also called: senile dementia

A progressive disease that destroys memory and other important mental

functions.

Very common

More than 3 million US cases per year

Can't be cured, but treatment may help
Requires a medical diagnosis
Lab tests or imaging not required
Chronic: can last for years or be lifelong
Brain cell connections and the cells themselves degenerate and die,
eventually destroying memory and other important mental functions.
Memory loss and confusion are the main symptoms.

No cure exists, but medications and management strategies may

temporarily improve symptoms.

Ages affected
0-2
3-5
6-13
14-18
19-40
41-60
60+

Symptoms
Requires a medical diagnosis

Memory loss and confusion are the main symptoms.

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People may experience:

Cognitive: mental decline, difficulty thinking and understanding, confusion

in the evening hours, delusion, disorientation, forgetfulness, making things
up, mental confusion, difficulty concentrating, inability to create new
memories, inability to do simple math, or inability to recognize common
things
Behavioral: aggression, agitation, difficulty with self care, irritability,
meaningless repetition of own words, personality changes, lack of
restraint, or wandering and getting lost

Mood: anger, apathy, general discontent, loneliness, or mood swings

Psychological: depression, hallucination, or paranoia

Whole body: loss of appetite or restlessness

Also common: inability to combine muscle movements or jumbled

speech

Treatments
Can't be cured, but treatment may help

No cure exists, but medications and management strategies may

temporarily improve symptoms.

Prescription

Donepezil (Aricept), Galantamine (Razadyne), Memantine (Namenda),

Rivastigmine through the skin or by mouth (Exelon)

Also common

Lifestyle: Physical exercise

Specialists

Occupational therapist: Improves daily living and work skills of patients.

Geriatrician: Focuses on the health care of elderly people.
Neurologist: Treats nervous system disorders.

Psychiatrist: Treats mental disorders primarily with medications.

Primary care provider (PCP): Prevents, diagnoses, and treats diseases.

Consult a doctor for medical advice
Note: The information you see describes what usually happens with a medical condition, but
doesn't apply to everyone. This information isn't medical advice, so make sure to contact a
healthcare provider if you have a medical problem. If you think you may have a medical
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emergency, call your doctor or a emergency number immediately.

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