Even though more than a century has passes since the discovery of Alzheimer’s disease in Germany, there is no sure cure for the same. Alzheimer’s, which attacks and damages the cells of the brain and makes vegetable out of living human beings, is the fifth most death causing disease and more than five million Americans are affected by it. Alzheimer’s disease does not attack young people, and this disease is generally found in people who are 65 years and more in age.
It was way back in 1905 when the famous German physician, Alois Alzheimer first described about this disease in details and the name of this malady has been attributed to him. Alzheimer’s disease is a type of brain disorder which is progressive in nature and in its advanced stages, Alzheimer’s also causes death. Alzheimer’s disease targets and affects the brain cells of human beings and destroys them. This causes the patient to suffer from many problems like loss of memory and inability to pursue their work and hobbies. It also causes dilution of their thinking power which damages their social life.
Those who are affected with this disease tend to forget very quickly, and even forget their near and dear ones. Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common forms of dementia, which is a standard term used to describe about loss of memory along with other intellectual capabilities. These disabilities are serious enough to impair the day to daylife of the patient. One should ensure that the patient is actually suffering from Alzheimer’s before proceeding forth for treatment.
There are other types of dementia too like vascular dementia which reduces the flow of blood to certain parts of the human brain. This disease needs a different type of treatment than Alzheimer’s. At times Alzheimer’s is often found in patients who are also suffering from vascular dementia and this disease is known as mixed dementia. Though patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease do not have any options for getting cured, they can enjoy the rest of their lives properly if they are provided with the correct type of support and services. It goes without saying that the love and affection of the members of the family plays a large part too.
Though Alzheimer’s disease had been discovered more than a century ago, the maximum research on curing this fatal disease has taken place only in the past 15 years. Scientists and physicians from all over the world are working together to find ways to treat this deadly disease. They are also trying to find means by which the onset of Alzheimer’s disease can be delayed, and if it has already affected a person, how it can be prevented from developing. There are many symptoms that are visible when a person has been affected with Alzheimer’s disease, and the commonest thing to watch out for is the loss of short term memory. The patients forget things that they have done within a few minutes.
There are several means which one can adopt to bypass this problem. Just tell the patient suffering from Alzheimer’s disease that they are being taken to the doctor for a general and annual health check up. Nobody will mind going in for an annual check up, since it is a routine stuff that is done by everyone. It is recommended that you explain the physician about this situation and it is better if the physician themselves ring up your near and dear ones and remind them that it is high time to get their annual health check up conducted.