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Dementia
What is dementia?
Dementia is a chronic, progressive brain disease that affects the higher brain functions such as memory, thinking, orientation, understanding, computational and learning capabilities and skills of speech and expression of appreciation. Its most common form of Alzheimer's disease, which represents more than 80 percent of all dementias. Cause of this disease is unknown.
Among the more common forms of dementia include the vascular dementia, resulting from changes in the vascular system. Patients with this form of dementia have high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels, diabetes and other risk factors. In history we find one or more strokes. Although it is treatable forms of dementia is very low, the possibility always exists. Therefore, any patient to perform basic laboratory tests to exclude organic causes of disease.
When the disease occurs?
Dementia is a disease of old age. With age, the risk increases for the accident. According to some data has dementia, a percentage of people under 65 aged over 65 in the percentage of people with dementia is growing rapidly. On the 90th year, the disease affects 60 percent of people. There are two forms of Alzheimer's disease:
* Early form before the 65th years of age and
* Late form after 65th year.
More info here The outcome is worse in early form, as the disease progresses more rapidly. In this form the important role of genetic predisposition to disease development.
How to recognize the disease?
The most obvious sign of disease, memory loss, while in the initial stage of mainly affects short-term memory, ie memory for recent events. Changes can be observed in patients themselves, especially their families. On the other hand, memory for remote events in the early preserved and is affected only in later stages of the disease. Often, the affected patient's orientation, the first time and later in space.
The disease is also difficult to monitor the ability of verbal expression, assessment, learning new content, thinking is impoverished and rigid. At an early stage of the disease, especially after the symptoms described could join mental disorders. Patients personal change. With progression of the disease patients are also physically opešajo. No more unable to perform basic daily activities, and increasingly need help from others.
All memory impairment not dementia
Older people are sometimes unable to recall specific information (eg name), but have it after a longer or shorter reflection successful recall. These problems over the years usually do not progress and are part of the normal weakening of memory functions in old age. In this case we speak of benign disorders of memory, in contrast to dementia, where such disorders are not transient and the patient's condition gradually worsened.
When we see a doctor?
The doctor should be considered when we are alone it seems that we have started to forget that when we warn the others. First, we visit the GP to us, if necessary, refer to the appropriate specialist. The causes of memory impairment are different, they can be a normal part of age may be associated with depression or other mental disorders are the result of taking certain drugs (certain drugs for pain and anxiety states) or represent the start and occurrence of dementia. Caution should be used primarily to changes that affect the normal course of everyday life and related activities and the progression of the disease require any further assistance until they lead to a complete dependence on others.
What you can do yourself?
Even at the age of the recommended maximum mental and physical activity. Research shows that the intellectual work at the age delay the onset of the disease, so that dementia occurs later than would otherwise be. Of course do not mention a balanced diet with sufficient minerals and vitamins and full of harmful bad habits such as alcohol and smoking. Even in the already established dementia is important, the longer we stay active and in its ability to deal with the activities of interest.
What can be done by a doctor?
There are medicines which, while not treating dementia, and slow down its progression and for some time, can improve symptoms of the disease. Medicines are effective if they were prescribed at an earlier stage of the disease, so early diagnosis is very important. Introduce medicine specialist psychiatrist or neurologist, and later it may provide a personal physician. These drugs are safe and can be taken in combination with other drugs. When dementia is accompanied by depressed mood, anxiety (anxiety, fear), insomnia, irritability, and psychotic disorders, the initiation of antidepressants and antipsychotics. Anxiolytics are not suitable for the treatment of disorders in old age, because bad memory function.
How disease affects the patient's relatives?
It should be noted that the disease affects not only the patient but also family, who care for him. The first serious test of the confrontation with the disease and its consequences, with the progression of the disease while caring for sick all the more burdensome it becomes entirely dependent on foreign aid. For the patient it is best to stay as long as possible at home, but the accommodation in a home for the elderly are sometimes unavoidable.
Help families
Caring for sick a severe psychological and physical burden, so they need a lot of family understanding and support. Must be familiar with the characteristics and course of the disease, being able to facilitate and maximize quality of care for the sick. The Psychiatric Clinic in Ljubljana act psychogeriatric clinic and counseling for relatives of patients with dementia, the association for help in dementia nots, organized educational program, community groups and three times a week telephone counseling.
More info here
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