What is Alzheimers Alzheimers is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time, becoming severe enough to interfere with daily tasks. Alzheimers is the most common form of dementia, a general term for memory loss and other intellectual abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimers disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases. Learn more: What We Know Today and Understanding Dementia. Alzheimers is not a normal part of aging, although the greatest known risk factor is increasing age, and the majority of people with Alzheimers are 65 and older. But Alzheimers is not just a disease of old age. Up to 5 percent of people with the disease have early onset Alzheimers (also known as younger-onset), which often appears when someone is in their 40s or 50s. Learn more: Early Onset Alzheimers and Risk Factors Alzheimers worsens over time. Alzheimers is a progressive disease, where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years. In its early stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage Alzheimers, individuals lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment. Alzheimers is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Those with Alzheimers live an average of eight years after their symptoms become noticeable to others, but survival can range from four to 20 years, depending on age and other health conditions. Learn more: 10 Warning Signs and Stages of Alzheimers Disease. Alzheimers has no current cure, but treatments for symptoms are available and research continues. Although current Alzheimers treatments cannot stop Alzheimers from progressing, they can temporarily slow the worsening of dementia symptoms and improve quality of life for those with Alzheimers and their caregivers. Today, there is a worldwide effort under way to find better ways to treat the disease, delay its onset, and prevent it from developing. Learn more: Standard Treatments, Treatment Horizon, Prevention and Clinical Trials.
Posted on: Mon, 21 Jul 2014 13:38:47 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015