Alzheimer's disease - NHS

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive condition, which means the symptoms develop gradually over many years and eventually become more severe. It affects ... Skiptomaincontent Home HealthAtoZ Backto HealthAtoZ Overview - Alzheimer'sdisease Contents Overview Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment Prevention Alzheimer'sdiseaseisthemostcommoncauseofdementiaintheUK.Dementiaisthenameforagroupofsymptomsassociatedwithanongoingdeclineofbrainfunctioning.Itcanaffectmemory,thinkingskillsandothermentalabilities.TheexactcauseofAlzheimer'sdiseaseisnotyetfullyunderstood,althoughanumberofthingsarethoughttoincreaseyourriskofdevelopingthecondition.Theseinclude:increasingageafamilyhistoryoftheconditionuntreateddepression,althoughdepressioncanalsobeoneofthesymptomsofAlzheimer'sdiseaselifestylefactorsandconditionsassociatedwithcardiovasculardiseaseReadmoreaboutthecausesofAlzheimer'sdisease. SignsandsymptomsofAlzheimer'sdiseaseAlzheimer'sdiseaseisaprogressivecondition,whichmeansthesymptomsdevelopgraduallyovermanyyearsandeventuallybecomemoresevere.Itaffectsmultiplebrainfunctions.ThefirstsignofAlzheimer'sdiseaseisusuallyminormemoryproblems.Forexample,thiscouldbeforgettingaboutrecentconversationsorevents,andforgettingthenamesofplacesandobjects.Astheconditiondevelops,memoryproblemsbecomemoresevereandfurthersymptomscandevelop,suchas:confusion,disorientationandgettinglostinfamiliarplacesdifficultyplanningormakingdecisionsproblemswithspeechandlanguageproblemsmovingaroundwithoutassistanceorperformingself-caretaskspersonalitychanges,suchasbecomingaggressive,demandingandsuspiciousofothershallucinations (seeingorhearingthingsthatarenotthere)anddelusions(believingthingsthatareuntrue)lowmood oranxietyReadmoreaboutthesymptomsofAlzheimer'sdisease. Whoisaffected?Alzheimer'sdiseaseismostcommoninpeopleovertheageof65.TheriskofAlzheimer'sdiseaseandothertypesofdementiaincreaseswithage,affectinganestimated1in14peopleovertheageof65and1inevery6peopleovertheageof80.Butaround1inevery20peoplewithAlzheimer'sdiseaseareundertheageof65.Thisiscalledearly-oryoung-onsetAlzheimer'sdisease. Getting adiagnosisAsthesymptomsofAlzheimer'sdiseaseprogressslowly,itcanbedifficulttorecognisethatthere'saproblem.Manypeoplefeelthatmemoryproblemsaresimplyapartofgettingolder.Also,thediseaseprocessitselfmay(butnotalways)preventpeoplerecognisingchangesintheirmemory.ButAlzheimer'sdiseaseisnota"normal"partoftheageingprocess.AnaccurateandtimelydiagnosisofAlzheimer'sdiseasecangiveyouthebestchancetoprepareandplanforthefuture,aswellasreceiveanytreatmentorsupportthatmayhelp.Ifyou'reworriedaboutyourmemoryorthinkyoumayhavedementia,it'sagoodideatoseeaGP.Ifpossible,someonewhoknowsyouwellshouldbewithyouastheycanhelpdescribeanychangesorproblemstheyhavenoticed.Ifyou'reworriedaboutsomeoneelse,encouragethemtomakeanappointmentandperhapssuggestthatyougoalongwiththem.There'snosingletestthatcanbeusedtodiagnoseAlzheimer'sdisease.Andit'simportanttorememberthatmemoryproblemsdonotnecessarilymeanyouhaveAlzheimer'sdisease.AGPwillaskquestionsaboutanyproblemsyou'reexperiencingandmaydosometeststoruleoutotherconditions.IfAlzheimer'sdiseaseissuspected,youmaybereferredtoaspecialistserviceto:assessyoursymptomsinmoredetailorganisefurthertesting,suchasbrainscansifnecessarycreateatreatmentandcareplanReadmoreaboutdiagnosingAlzheimer'sdisease. HowAlzheimer'sdiseaseistreatedThere'scurrentlynocureforAlzheimer'sdisease,butmedicinesareavailablethatcanhelprelievesomeofthesymptoms.VariousothertypesofsupportarealsoavailabletohelppeoplewithAlzheimer'sliveasindependentlyaspossible,suchasmakingchangestoyourhomeenvironmentsoit'seasiertomovearoundandrememberdailytasks.Psychologicaltreatmentssuchascognitivestimulationtherapymayalsobeofferedtohelpsupportyourmemory,problemsolvingskillsandlanguageability.ReadmoreabouttreatingAlzheimer'sdisease. OutlookPeoplewithAlzheimer'sdiseasecanliveforseveralyearsaftertheystarttodevelopsymptoms.Butthiscanvaryconsiderablyfrompersontoperson.Alzheimer'sdiseaseisalife-limitingillness,althoughmanypeoplediagnosedwiththeconditionwilldiefromanothercause.AsAlzheimer'sdiseaseisaprogressiveneurologicalcondition,itcancauseproblemswithswallowing.Thiscanleadtoaspiration(foodbeinginhaledintothelungs),whichcancausefrequentchestinfections.It'salsocommonforpeoplewithAlzheimer'sdiseasetoeventuallyhavedifficultyeatingandhaveareducedappetite.There'sincreasingawarenessthatpeoplewithAlzheimer'sdiseaseneed palliativecare.Thisincludessupportforfamilies,aswellasthepersonwithAlzheimer's. CanAlzheimer'sdiseasebeprevented?AstheexactcauseofAlzheimer'sdiseaseisnotclear,there'snoknownwaytopreventthecondition.Buttherearethingsyoucandothatmayreduceyourriskordelaytheonsetofdementia,suchas:stopping smoking andcuttingdownonalcoholeatingahealthy,balanceddietandmaintainingahealthyweightstayingphysicallyfitandmentallyactiveThesemeasureshaveotherhealthbenefits,suchasloweringyourriskofcardiovasculardiseaseandimprovingyouroverallmentalhealth.ReadmoreaboutpreventingAlzheimer'sdisease. DementiaresearchTherearedozensofdementiaresearchprojectsgoingonaroundtheworld,manyofwhicharebasedintheUK.Ifyouhaveadiagnosisofdementiaorareworriedaboutmemoryproblems,youcanhelpscientistsbetterunderstandthediseasebytakingpartinresearch.Ifyou'reacarerforsomeonewithdementia,youcanalsotakepartinresearch.YoucansignuptotakepartintrialsontheNHSJoinDementiaResearchwebsite. MoreinformationDementiacanaffectallaspectsofaperson'slife,aswellastheirfamily's.Ifyouhavebeendiagnosedwithdementia,oryou'recaringforsomeonewiththecondition,rememberthatadviceandsupportisavailabletohelpyoulivewell.Readmoreabout:StayingindependentwithdementiaLivingwellwithdementiaCommunicatingwithsomeonewithdementiaLookingaftersomeonewithdementiaCopingwithdementiabehaviourchangesHelpandsupportforpeoplewithdementiaDementia,socialservicesandtheNHS Information: SocialcareandsupportguideIfyou:needhelpwithday-to-daylivingbecauseofillnessordisabilitycareforsomeoneregularlybecausethey'reill,elderlyordisabled-includingfamilymembersOurguidetocareandsupportexplainsyouroptionsandwhereyoucangetsupport. Pagelastreviewed:05July2021 Nextreviewdue:05July2024 Next : Symptoms