Overview
Alzheimer's disease is a condition that damages brain cells over time. It can affect memory, language, judgment, mood, and the ability to carry out familiar activities. The changes usually happen gradually, and symptoms often become more noticeable over years.
Key Symptoms
Early symptoms often include forgetting recent events, repeating questions, losing items, and trouble finding words. As the disease progresses, a person may have difficulty managing money, following steps, recognizing familiar places, or making decisions. Later stages can involve major changes in communication, behavior, movement, swallowing, and the need for full-time care.
Causes and Risk Factors
The exact cause is not fully understood, but Alzheimer's disease is linked to abnormal changes in the brain, including buildup of certain proteins and loss of brain cells. Older age is the strongest known risk factor. Family history, certain inherited genetic changes, Down syndrome, heart and blood vessel risk factors, head injury, and low physical activity may also play a role.
Who Is Affected
Alzheimer's disease mainly affects older adults, but it can sometimes begin before age 65. It affects people of all backgrounds and countries. Family members and caregivers are also deeply affected because the condition changes a person's independence and daily needs.
Prevention
There is no guaranteed way to prevent Alzheimer's disease. However, protecting heart health may also help brain health, including staying physically active, not smoking, managing blood pressure and diabetes, sleeping well, and staying socially and mentally engaged. Preventing head injuries, such as by using seat belts and reducing fall risk, is also important.
Diagnosis and Tests
Diagnosis usually involves a medical history, questions about changes in memory and daily function, and information from a family member or caregiver. A healthcare professional may use memory and thinking tests, blood tests, brain imaging, and other exams to look for possible causes of symptoms. It is important to check for other conditions that can cause confusion or memory problems, such as depression, medication effects, thyroid problems, or vitamin deficiencies.
Treatment Categories
Treatment may include medicines that help with symptoms for some people, along with care plans that support safety, daily routines, sleep, and behavior. Rehabilitation, memory support strategies, and caregiver education can also be useful. Treatment is usually tailored to the person's stage of disease, overall health, and goals of care.
Living With It
Living with Alzheimer's disease often involves gradual changes in independence, relationships, and daily routines. Helpful steps can include simplifying tasks, using calendars and reminders, planning for future care, and making the home safer. Caregivers may need support for stress, burnout, finances, and legal planning.
When to Seek Medical Care
Seek medical care if you or someone close to you has new or worsening memory loss, confusion, trouble managing daily tasks, personality changes, getting lost, or unsafe behavior. A prompt evaluation is also important if symptoms appear suddenly, because another medical problem may be causing them. Early assessment can help identify treatable conditions and provide support.
When It May Be an Emergency
Get urgent medical help right away for sudden confusion, trouble speaking, weakness on one side, chest pain, severe shortness of breath, a serious fall, head injury, seizure, or if the person is missing and cannot be found. Also seek urgent help for severe dehydration, inability to swallow, or signs of infection such as high fever with sudden worsening confusion. These problems may be life-threatening or may signal a condition other than Alzheimer's disease.