Treatment of Alzheimer's disease: how and what to cure - useful drugs

In this article we will talk about the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The network of boarding houses "Zabota" has been successfully operating since 2008. We specialize in the care and monitoring of older people with Alzheimer's disease. In addition, we attach considerable importance to the psychological state of our wards. We will create comfortable living conditions and a dignified old age for your loved ones. All this time we provide a better quality of life, as well as prolong the activity and longevity of elderly people. Today our brand consists of 10 institutions located in the nearest Moscow region. They undergo rehabilitation and permanently house over 500 residents.

Causes of the disease and risk areas: ↑

• Weak mental activity. It has been proven that people with intellectual professions get sick several times less than people who are engaged exclusively in physical labor. Moreover, with constant mental activity, Alzheimer's disease progresses much more slowly, and the first symptoms are milder. When nerve cells of a “developed” person die, they are capable of transferring their functions to other cells;
• Women get sick more often than men. This is due to the low life expectancy of men. Women with constant stress and neuroses are more likely to suffer from dementia than calmer representatives of the fairer sex;
• Passive smoking increases the risk of dementia. Active smokers get sick less often than non-smokers;
• Genetic predisposition. Scientists have discovered genes that cause the disease in about 25 percent of cases. Mutations of presenilin 1 and 2 genes lead to the accumulation of amyloid, which causes the appearance of “senile plaques”. If your immediate family has suffered from Alzheimer's disease, you need to carefully monitor your health. In some cases, the disease may be hereditary;
• Cognitive impairment associated with memory impairment and not symptoms of Alzheimer's disease;
• Cardiovascular diseases and conditions that provoke them (excess weight, smoking, high cholesterol, etc.);
• Any traumatic brain injury;
• Brain tumors;
• Hypothyroidism;
• Treatment with certain drugs.

What is Alzheimer's syndrome

This is a common form of late-life dementia, a fairly serious disease, which is characterized by a consistently increasing deterioration of memory and other intellectual functions. For the first time, the most detailed description of the disease was made by a German psychiatrist in 1907. Subsequently it began to bear his name.

Genetic predisposition, as well as the presence of chronic problems, affect the body’s natural resources and, as a result, mental and psychological functions are impaired. However, there are a number of factors that influence the processes of dementia, so their prevention allows you to slow down and minimize the deterioration of the condition.

Development mechanism ↑

The causes of Alzheimer's disease are not understood. Leading geneticists, biochemists and biologists have revealed only an approximate mechanism:

• Protein is deposited in the brain and “senile plaques” appear;
• Deposits form from damaged neurons (neurofibrillary tangles);
• Destruction of the nerve pathways of the brain occurs. The damage begins in the hippocampus. This area of ​​the brain is the first to be affected in Alzheimer's disease;
• The amount of acetylcholine, somatostatin, and glutamate decreases. This decrease in the concentration of transmitters does not allow the cells of the body to exchange information. The learning process becomes impossible, memory deteriorates and mental activity decreases.

Symptoms in the late stage of the disease

The consequences of brain atrophy are irreversible and look depressing. The patient becomes alienated, strives for complete solitude, does not leave his room for several days and does not respond to calls. His speech becomes incoherent, often meaningless - just a collection of words of different topics and content. Severe dementia is characterized by complete collapse of personality and rejection of oneself as a member of the family and society.

If the first symptoms of Alzheimer's physiology are quite harmless, then the final phase of the disease implies complete helplessness: the patient does not control the processes of urination and bowel movements, and loses the ability to walk. Body weight decreases significantly, often approaching the level of dystrophy, the skin dries out and cracks.

Stages of the disease ↑

Early stage. Characterized by apathy, withdrawal from communication with loved ones, loss of interest in favorite activities - these are the first signs of Alzheimer's disease. Often goes unnoticed. The patient tries to hide the symptoms. This behavior wastes valuable time. After all, the first stages of the disease can be successfully corrected with medications, and stable remission occurs. Another distinctive feature of the initial stage is sloppiness. The patient does not want to take care of his appearance at all. If an elderly person constantly loses things and he cannot find them, if the most harmless events cause attacks of anger and unreasonable grievances arise, there is no motivation to continue living - these are the first symptoms and a reason to consult a doctor.

Rising stage. In addition to memory loss, there comes a feeling of confusion and bewilderment. The patient does not understand what is happening to him and suffers from it. He knows that treatment is needed, but he constantly forgets to take his medications. Nervousness, tearfulness appear, and memory lapses become more frequent. Events that happened just a few minutes ago are forgotten. Earlier events are not affected yet.

Stage of disorientation. The person ceases to orient himself in place and time; for the patient there are no seasons or familiar dates. All recent events disappear from memory. The patient may feel young and forget about the years he has lived. Over time, accumulated knowledge disappears and old memories fall out of memory. Depression develops.

Last stage. The patient ceases to recognize familiar faces. He forgets how to climb stairs and cross the road, his life is in constant danger. All colors and writing skills are forgotten, speech becomes at first slurred, then completely incoherent. Hallucinations and convulsions occur. The symptoms increase literally day by day. A person needs round-the-clock care. At this stage the person is bedridden. Patients in the last stage do not live long. Most often, death occurs as a result of pneumonia caused by a recumbent lifestyle.

The stages of Alzheimer's disease should not be confused with normal age-related changes in human behavior. The older a person is, the more his character changes for the worse. Whims, tearfulness, inability to remember any information, forgetfulness - not necessarily dementia.

Symptoms and signs

When characterizing Alzheimer's disease, symptoms and signs characteristic of this type of dementia, you need to pay attention to accompanying mental conditions:

• neurotic emotional background, prolonged in time;
• periods of prolonged depression;
• persistent paranoid states (ideas of causing harm, jealousy, etc.).

When analyzing the initial symptoms of AD, most attending physicians pay attention to the features of the patient’s facial expressions: a special type of facial expression— Alzheimer’s amazement —can “give away” a person. Then the eyes are wide open, blinking occurs rarely and there is a facial expression of surprise.

The most striking symptoms of asthma are as follows:

• decay of memory as a function of the psyche (rapidly progressing amnesia, up to complete depletion of memory reserves and disorientation);
• a specific reaction to a deficit of cognitive experience (impulsivity, depression, irritability);
• peculiar regressive behavior: sloppiness, rigidity, getting ready to “go somewhere,” stereotyping;
• symptoms of hydrocephalus: nausea, headaches, dizziness;
• significant weight loss while maintaining (even increasing) the usual diet;
• during communicative interaction – loss of attention (concentration), gaze is not normally fixed, obsessive movements;
• Cognitive operations are impaired, which manifests itself in acalculia (pathology of counting), aphasia (pathology of speech), alexia (pathology of reading), apraxia (pathology of movement), etc.

The life expectancy of patients with asthma varies on average from 7-10 to 14-20 years, depending on the stage and individual course of the disease.

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Diagnosis of the disease ↑

If an elderly person shows the first signs of Alzheimer's disease, examination and immediate treatment are necessary. To differentiate Alzheimer's disease from other diseases with similar symptoms, careful data collection is needed, as well as:

• questionnaires to determine the presence and stage of Alzheimer's disease, cognitive tests for mental activity and memory;
• careful study of the patient's medical record;
• consultation with a neurologist;
• electrocardiography;
• electroencephalogram;
• CT scan;
• thyroid examination;
• blood tests.

The last stage of Alzheimer's: how long do they live?

Due to the difficulty in determining the exact time from which the disease began to develop, it is difficult to identify the stage of development of the pathology. According to doctors, from the time when the patient stops getting out of bed, loses the ability to self-care and practically stops talking, about 6 months pass until the moment of death.

ATTENTION! How long Alzheimer's patients live is influenced by their overall immune health. The disease greatly depletes and weakens the body, which makes it susceptible to other ailments. Such patients most often die from pneumonia, thrombosis, complications of influenza and various infections.

Treatment of Alzheimer's disease ↑

There are no drugs to treat the disease yet. Currently, treatment consists of temporary relief of symptoms. Drug development is constantly being carried out by pharmaceutical companies and scientific institutes. But all that medicine can do is to slightly slow down the development of the disease in its initial stages, prevent destructive processes occurring in the brain, and smooth out the symptoms.

For this use:

• Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs). The drugs inhibit changes in brain neurons. Patented and actively used: Donepezil, Rivastigmine and Galantamine. All drugs act equally on measurable signs of dementia;
• "Acanthinol Memantine" is used to treat parkinsonism, but has been clinically proven to be effective in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. It improves cognitive functions. The patient will be able to care for himself for a long time;
• According to confirmed clinical data, people with rheumatoid arthritis practically do not suffer from Alzheimer's disease. Treatment is carried out with cyclooxygenase inhibitors. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs cannot be treated for a long time, due to the high risk of side effects. Therefore, they are not used as widely as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors;
• Empirical studies have shown that women with hormone replacement therapy were significantly less likely to suffer from dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Estrogen has a beneficial effect on a woman’s cardiovascular system and increases resistance to stress. Estrogen drugs are actively used in the USA;
• The use of antioxidants, particularly selenium and vitamin E, helps slow the progression of the disease. They are relatively safe means;
• Nootropic preparations of Ginkgo biloba extracts (tanakan, ginkum), piracetam and nicergoline preparations are officially recognized as effective for the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's disease. Nootropics can normalize sleep and improve the patient’s psychological state;
• Glutamic acid preparations. Efficacy has not been proven and is under development;
• Drugs for the treatment of nervous excitability (mainly diazepine antidepressants);
• Drugs for the treatment of insomnia;
• Psychological therapy. Allows you to achieve small improvements in memory and thinking abilities;
• Sensory integrative therapy. Helps preserve sensory memory. Touching objects, feeling hot and cold, recognizing colors, etc. They are carried out in special sensory rooms;
• Behavioral intervention helps relieve the patient of aimless wandering and urinary incontinence. Of course, when the disease enters its final stage, this cannot be avoided. But as long as the patient can control himself, he will try not to cause inconvenience to the family;
• Emotional interventions can improve mood and reduce aggression;
• Therapeutic physical exercise preserves muscle memory and delays the symptoms of a “shuffling gait”;
• A diet rich in vitamins and polyunsaturated fatty acids helps protect neurons from further damage. The patient's diet should include nuts, fish, meat, lots of vegetables and fruits;
• Treatment, recognized by medicine, folk methods.

How to extend your lifespan

As mentioned earlier, according to statistics, Alzheimer's disease lasts about 8 years. This happens due to late diagnosis. That is why the best prevention of the disease and the most effective way to prolong life today remains timely seeking medical help. Annual examinations and timely prescribed medications can increase life expectancy by up to 15 years.

Other preventive measures include:

1. Regular brain training. Intellectual games (chess, crosswords, puzzles) are best suited. They stimulate brain activity by improving conduction between neurons.
2. Moderate physical activity. Frequent walks in the fresh air improve blood circulation, stimulating brain nutrition.
3. Proper diet. It is extremely important to get a large amount of vitamins, preferably of natural rather than synthetic origin.
4. Comfort, relaxation, good sleep. Stress and excessive psycho-emotional stress significantly worsen the condition of a patient with Alzheimer's.

Other things will help to avoid the rapid development of the disease or its complications. Try to spend more time with the patient in familiar surroundings. New places usually have a negative impact on the condition of a sick person. Do not leave it completely alone, it contributes to the development of panic attacks. Monitor your relative’s immunity and help him treat even the simplest colds.

These simple recommendations will help create comfortable conditions for a patient with Alzheimer's and thereby increase his life expectancy. If there is no opportunity to be with a loved one around the clock, and the disorder is already at a moderate stage, the best solution would be to place the patient in a boarding house, where specialists will take care of both compliance with preventive recommendations and drug treatment.

Prevention of the disease ↑

No person is immune from Alzheimer's disease. But everyone can take care of their health in advance. Numerous studies have proven that the disease can be prevented by:

• Mental activity. Reading, learning languages, memorizing poetry, solving crosswords, intensive communication - keep the nervous system and brain in good shape;
• Physical exercise. Gymnastics, walking, swimming - this is the prevention of excess weight, a common cause of dementia;
• Balanced diet. Food rich in minerals, vitamins, and polyunsaturated fatty acids helps prevent increased cholesterol levels and the development of diabetes;
• Constant communication. Prolonged loneliness leads to stress and depression. The causes of the disease have not been studied, but it has been proven that constant nervous tension triggers mechanisms of neuron destruction;
• Prevention of colds, treatment of chronic diseases;
• Active life position. More often lazy people suffer from the disease. Constant movement, the desire to learn, and interest in new things are a powerful prevention of Alzheimer's disease.

What does life expectancy depend on?

As stated earlier, the key factor determining how many years an Alzheimer's patient will live before death is drug therapy, but other incentives can also help extend lifespan:

1. Proper care. Very often, the true cause of death in patients with Alzheimer's is concomitant diseases, such as pneumonia, bedsores, leading to sepsis. With proper care, they can be avoided, which means the likelihood of death is reduced.
2. Comfortable social conditions. The more stressful situations that arise in a person's life, the more nerve cells die daily. As a result, depression of brain activity occurs much faster, which means that a severe degree of the disease occurs earlier.
3. Proper nutrition. For normal nutrition of brain tissue, it is extremely important to receive large amounts of vitamins and healthy nutrients. It can be difficult for an elderly person to independently provide himself with a complete five-a-day diet.
4. Physiotherapeutic procedures. They are important for ensuring normal blood supply. In hospitals and boarding houses, acupuncture, aromatherapy, music therapy and other procedures are often prescribed.

In other words, the life expectancy of Alzheimer's patients is influenced by the environment around the patient. A calm, measured life and regular communication with other people have a positive effect on brain activity, which means they reduce the rate of development of the disease from the first stages to the last.

Important! If relatives and friends objectively cannot provide proper care, it is better to seek help from specialists.

How to slow down the development of the disease ↑

• You cannot take a patient to unfamiliar places - this can dramatically worsen your health;
• Loneliness is contraindicated for the patient. The causes of panic attacks during illness are a lack of communication and even short-term loneliness;
• Limiting medications. There are no medicines that do not have a harmful effect on the body. In addition to the liver, the main detoxification organ, the heart, kidneys, stomach and brain are affected. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor your health so as not to acquire chronic diseases that require constant use of medications;
• New acquaintances are contraindicated. Let everything remain old and familiar for the patient, so it will be easier for him to navigate the world around him;
• Don't turn off the lights even at night. A person should always see and hear well. Consultation with an ophthalmologist and audiologist is required. Properly selected glasses or hearing aids can help prevent depression, which often occurs with dementia. If the patient finds himself in the dark, he may experience hallucinations and life-threatening convulsions;
• Rule out infectious diseases. You can support your immune system with folk remedies (sea buckthorn, currants, etc.). Since viral and bacterial infections are common causes of deterioration of the patient’s condition, in the autumn-winter period it is necessary to take immunomodulators (Amiksin, Arbidol, interferon preparations);
• Hot sunny weather worsens the symptoms of the disease. Requires a moderate climate.

Help for the patient, advice for relatives

Patients require proper care and attention. Here are some tips on how to help such a person and what relatives should do:

1. Avoid complete darkness in the room, as this aggravates the course of the disease and intensifies the symptoms.
2. Avoiding exposure to hot climates and insufficient humidity can also cause the condition to worsen. The optimal air temperature is from 20 to 22 degrees, and humidity levels should be in the range of 50% -70%.
3. Do not allow strangers to be in the room where the patient is, as this causes stress and suspicion.
4. Communicate with the patient. Loneliness and lack of communication will negatively affect your general condition and cause a panic attack.
5. The room where the patient spends most of the time must be regularly ventilated and cleaned regularly.
6. When feeding, it is important to remind the person to also take a spoon and try to scoop up food. Many patients like to eat with their hands.
7. The dishes should be plain, without pictures.
8. After eating, the patient should be shown how to wipe their mouth with a napkin.
9. Any drinks are served only in a half-filled container.
10. Bath strictly in the bathroom. It is not recommended to use the shower for these purposes, as the sound frightens the patient.
11. Get into the habit of going to the toilet at certain hours. Gradually the body will get used to it.
12. Remove all mirrors, as your own image frightens patients.
13. When the patient is able to dress independently, clothes should be given in the order in which they need to be put on.

The prognosis for this pathology is unfavorable. A person begins to fade away, degrades as a person, then physical exhaustion sets in. Over time, ulcers and bedsores appear on the skin, and weight decreases significantly.

Death in Alzheimer's disease occurs as a result of complications such as pneumonia, strokes, and heart failure. It is important for relatives to be patient, be more attentive to the patient, and take care of his health. But at the same time, you should not forget about yourself. You can get a consultation and learn about the peculiarities of the patient’s pathology from the attending physician, who will give additional recommendations.

Folk remedies ↑

Treatment with folk remedies for Alzheimer's disease is not always effective and sometimes unsafe. Traditional methods can only be used under the supervision of a specialist. There are as many different recipes as there are herbalists and traditional healers:

• Wheat germination. Wheat sprouts have estrogen-like and antioxidant effects. The shoots can be added to soups and salads. This is the prevention of atherosclerosis, treatment of diseases of the female sphere;
• Hawthorn fruits have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system. It improves heart function and has a mild sedative effect;
• Oat decoction. Oats are a storehouse of nutrients and B vitamins that improve the condition of the nervous system. Relieves symptoms of intoxication, helps prevent the development of cholelithiasis;
• Daily use of flaxseed oil. Flaxseed oil has long been recognized by folk healers as a remedy for all diseases. Contains linolenic acid and vitamin E. Reduces cholesterol levels, improves liver function, reduces the risk of atherosclerosis, and strengthens blood vessels. Suitable for the prevention of Alzheimer's disease;
• Bean sprouts help lower blood sugar, reduce the risk of diabetes and its complications;
• Sea kale is an excellent product for the prevention of thyroid diseases. Thyroid diseases disrupt hormonal levels and can trigger Alzheimer's disease. Laminaria treatment has long been recognized by doctors.

It is impossible to cure Alzheimer's disease using traditional methods. Neither official pharmacology nor folk medicine has any means for a complete cure. Therefore, the methods are good only for prevention and general improvement of the body’s condition.

Genetic predisposition

Alzheimer's disease is considered a multifactorial disease, the leading role in the development of which is played by genetic defects. Scientists have also identified cases of familial forms of the pathology, which are usually extremely rare and appear in patients under 65 years of age. Familial forms of the disease are transmitted in an autosomal dominant manner. Namely, this mechanism of disease development is characterized by blocking of the normal gene by the pathological gene that the newborn received from the sick parent. The probability of transmitting a pathological gene is 50%.

Scientists have discovered three pathological genes that can cause the disease. Most often, Alzheimer's disease occurs in patients who have a defect in a gene located on chromosome 14. It has been proven that of all cases of family etiology of the disease, this defect is considered the most common (60-70% of all cases of the disease). The disease can also occur due to defects of chromosomes 1 and 21.

How to help the family and the sick person? ↑

In the initial stages of the disease, psychological support plays an important role. The psychotherapist will help the patient and his family come to terms with the disease. In the early stages, the symptoms are almost invisible and the person can take care of himself. Get all your affairs in order and seek legal help. The neurologist will give a complete description of the disease, identify all the symptoms, then it will be easier for the patient to build his future life.

At the second stage, family support is needed. The patient can still take care of himself, but his life is in constant danger. A person can get lost near his home, and accidents often happen. The tasks of relatives are to ensure constant control of a loved one. The patient's family should explain to others that the disease is not contagious. If possible, all neighbors should be aware of the family's situation. The patient needs constant communication. Remember that soon your loved one won’t even remember you.

At the last stage, the person is in a supine position. This requires qualified care. The best option is to place the patient in a hospice, where people live under constant supervision. During rare improvements, psychological assistance will be provided. Since the patient is susceptible to viral and bacterial diseases, he needs isolation and medical supervision. For relatives and the patient himself, this option is the most convenient. If it is not possible to place a person in a specialized institution, then a permanent nurse is needed.

Alzheimer's disease is a difficult ordeal for the patient and his loved ones. Modern medicine is powerless and the disease will inevitably progress. In order not to become a burden for the family in the future, constant prevention is needed. High mental activity, high-quality nutrition, supporting the body with folk remedies, physical activity and health control are the key to a dignified old age without Alzheimer's disease.

Causes of senile dementia due to Alzheimer's: how to treat

Can the disease affect almost everyone? As a rule, disruptions in mental health are predominantly among older people (65+). But studies of this issue indicate that the disease has become “younger”. Short-term memory loss has increasingly become observed in very young people; over time, the problem becomes a cognitive impairment, and speech and motor disorders arise. Psychiatrists claim that the syndrome is a time bomb, and most doctors have no idea how to cope with the disease.

Main factors influencing the development of dementia

Mostly elderly people suffer from the disease. Next comes the predisposition to the disease at the genetic level. According to research results, the tendency can be transmitted from the mother, therefore, when there is or has been a person in the family with such a disease, it is necessary to begin preventing its primary symptoms as early as possible.

Also influence:

• head injuries: bruises resulting in hematomas or concussions;
• viruses, infections, including encephalitis or meningitis;
• cardiovascular problems: heart attacks, strokes, pathologies in the functioning of the veins;
• abnormalities in the thyroid gland;
• living in areas of radiation contamination and toxic enterprises;
• birth injuries and late childbirth;
• surgical interventions.

It turned out to be important that the following was revealed: a low degree of literacy, a narrow outlook, and limited interests only contribute to progression. Educated members of society who have varied hobbies or hobbies suffer from the syndrome less often. Therefore, to reduce the risk of disease, it is necessary to properly feed the mind, develop fine motor skills, and communicate with a large number of people.

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Etiology

Today it is not known for certain what causes Alzheimer's. The most plausible theory of provoking the development of the disease involves a combination of specific factors - heredity, lifestyle, ecology.

For timely recognition of a dangerous pathology, it is worth knowing its signs:

• a person stops expressing thoughts correctly and clearly;
• touchiness, tearfulness, irritability, sudden aggression are observed;
• apathy and reluctance to perform any actions appear;
• speech disturbance occurs, non-existent episodes are remembered;
• familiar words are forgotten, and basic skills are lacking.

If you have at least one of the symptoms, you must urgently contact specialists so that they can begin adequate treatment for Alzheimer's syndrome.

Early dementia

• One of the first pronounced symptoms of the disease is memory impairment. It is after the appearance of this symptom that the doctor can assume that the patient’s Alzheimer’s disease is progressing. It is worth noting that pathology affects different types of memory in different ways. Short-term memory is most seriously affected. Less - episodic memory (the patient is able to remember distant events in his life), semantic memory (information learned a long time ago), implicit memory (learned actions).

The impairment of the ability to remember is progressive. Therefore, patients do not immediately notice that due to memory problems they are forced to use diaries and notepads much more often. Unfortunately, most patients try to hide their health problems from others, so pathology can be detected only after its symptoms become more noticeable.

Gradually, memory abilities deteriorate so much that the patient also has problems with long-term memory. Namely, he has difficulty remembering events that happened a long time ago. At the same time, he manages to remember only with the help of associations or leading questions. At the early stage of dementia, it may be difficult for a patient to remember the names of acquaintances and the names of streets in their hometown. Often the patient may also forget certain words.

• At this stage of the disease, a progressive decline in thinking abilities is also possible. However, the patient's condition depends on the initial level of his intelligence. That is why the signal to see a doctor for some patients may be the inability to perform simple arithmetic operations without using a calculator, and for others - difficulties in solving puzzles or crosswords. Many patients at this stage of the disease lose the ability to holistically perceive information, so loved ones may notice a change in their interests: for example, patients may stop reading serious literature and give preference to watching films. A decrease in intelligence leads to the patient having difficulties with orientation in space.
• At an early stage of pathology, patients also experience psycho-emotional instability. Namely, many patients are diagnosed with depression due to the manifestation of signs of mental ill-being. Many patients experience increased anxiety and sleep disorders. Crises, which are similar in their manifestations to acute psychosis, are also common. Typically, anxiety increases in the evening and is accompanied by pathological disorders such as delusional and obsessive ideas, paranoia, and inability to recognize loved ones.

Such crises are usually caused by a sharp change in the usual environment. Moreover, in the early stages of the disease, patients are very vulnerable to various kinds of changes, since their brain is not able to process a large amount of information due to dementia. Further progression of Alzheimer's disease leads to complete indifference of the patient to everything that happens.

Treatment of other diseases starting with the letter - b

The information is for educational purposes only. Do not self-medicate; For all questions regarding the definition of the disease and methods of its treatment, consult your doctor. EUROLAB is not responsible for the consequences caused by the use of information posted on the portal.