Dementia is defined as a group of symptoms affecting memory, thinking, and social abilities severely enough to interfere with daily functioning (Mayo, 2016). This disease is so much more than normal age-related changes. Dementia itself is not a disease, but a general term for loss of memory and other mental abilities that impact daily life. Diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Lewy body Dementia, Vascular Dementia, and Parkinson’s Disease, are a few examples of diseases that cause dementia. Education is key when finding out a loved one is diagnosed with a disease that causes dementia. This paper will discuss the diagnosis, symptoms, lifestyle changes that benefit the patient, and treatment for a few different diseases that cause dementia.
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Alzheimer’s has no cure, with the eventual outcome resulting in death. It is caused by damage and eventual destruction of nerve cells in the brain causing irreversible damage to the brain. The early symptoms of Alzheimer’s includes being confused, having problems finding words, forgetfulness, not understanding how to work simple things, mood swings, and behavioral changes. There can also be antisocial behaviors such as screaming, shouting, repetitive behavior, restlessness, pacing, and staying awake during the night. As this disease progresses, symptoms change and vary in degrees. Some symptoms that may be seen in a patient with progressed Alzheimer’s include the inability to respond to the environment, difficulty eating, swallowing, and loss of communication. In the late stages, patients will need extensive help with activities of daily living and round the clock supervision. Alzheimer’s can only be confirmed as a diagnoses during an autopsy, but doctors will diagnosis a patient based on symptoms and ruling out other possibilities. Several medications are approved to treat symptoms of Alzheimer’s including Aricept, Namenda, and Exelon. These drugs work by controlling neurotransmitters, the chemicals that transmit messages between neurons. They may help with thinking, memory, communication skills, and help with certain behavioral …show more content…
Symptoms include memory loss, laughing and crying outbursts, visual mistakes, loss of bladder control and bowel movements, epileptic seizure, depression, acute confusion, hallucinations and psychological problems such as obsession, and physical weakness. The visual mistakes can be, for example, a stair being mistaken for a waterfall, a carpet pattern confused as dirt, or a shadow being a hole or an animal. The only thing that can be done for Vascular Dementia is prevention. Factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, being overweight, or high cholesterol can increase risk of having a stroke which can cause vascular dementia. Not everyone who has a stroke will end up with vascular dementia. Like other types of dementia, vascular dementia shortens the lifespan of the patient. Some data suggest that those who develop dementia following a stroke survive three years on average. As with other stroke symptoms, cognitive changes may sometimes improve during recovery and rehabilitation as the brain generates new blood vessels and brain
Alzheimer’s has no cure, with the eventual outcome resulting in death. It is caused by damage and eventual destruction of nerve cells in the brain causing irreversible damage to the brain. The early symptoms of Alzheimer’s includes being confused, having problems finding words, forgetfulness, not understanding how to work simple things, mood swings, and behavioral changes. There can also be antisocial behaviors such as screaming, shouting, repetitive behavior, restlessness, pacing, and staying awake during the night. As this disease progresses, symptoms change and vary in degrees. Some symptoms that may be seen in a patient with progressed Alzheimer’s include the inability to respond to the environment, difficulty eating, swallowing, and loss of communication. In the late stages, patients will need extensive help with activities of daily living and round the clock supervision. Alzheimer’s can only be confirmed as a diagnoses during an autopsy, but doctors will diagnosis a patient based on symptoms and ruling out other possibilities. Several medications are approved to treat symptoms of Alzheimer’s including Aricept, Namenda, and Exelon. These drugs work by controlling neurotransmitters, the chemicals that transmit messages between neurons. They may help with thinking, memory, communication skills, and help with certain behavioral …show more content…
Symptoms include memory loss, laughing and crying outbursts, visual mistakes, loss of bladder control and bowel movements, epileptic seizure, depression, acute confusion, hallucinations and psychological problems such as obsession, and physical weakness. The visual mistakes can be, for example, a stair being mistaken for a waterfall, a carpet pattern confused as dirt, or a shadow being a hole or an animal. The only thing that can be done for Vascular Dementia is prevention. Factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, being overweight, or high cholesterol can increase risk of having a stroke which can cause vascular dementia. Not everyone who has a stroke will end up with vascular dementia. Like other types of dementia, vascular dementia shortens the lifespan of the patient. Some data suggest that those who develop dementia following a stroke survive three years on average. As with other stroke symptoms, cognitive changes may sometimes improve during recovery and rehabilitation as the brain generates new blood vessels and brain