Alzheimer’s Disease is a progressive neurological disease; it often attacks the brain tissues causing memory loss of one’s identity and regular behaviors. Statistics indicates that the rate of predicted people to get Alzheimer’s will increase briskly as time goes on. There are currently no cures for such disastrous disease, but there are currently approved treatments available that can help people within the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Once the disease is too far along, deteriorated brain cells are nearly impossible to revived or regenerate without stem cells, which have not been successfully ascertain.
Research and medical trials are being conducted all over the world hoping to find the starting cause of it in order to prevent it and maybe one day cure it. So far, it is discovered that amyloids may be one of many factors that generates the disease. Hence, those with the terminal Alzheimer’s disease gene should receive accessible treatments before symptoms are present to lessen anxiety among loved ones, prolong life span expectancy, and to help further studies for a cure. There are now different ways to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. Improved methods have progress over the years as professional try to identify the disease more thoroughly.
Detection of the Alzheimer’s gene can help one prepare to cope with living with what’s ahead of them, or on the other hand can attempt to take preventative actions. According to Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context on Alzheimer’s disease: It also gives family members time to educate themselves about the disease and make plans for future needs of the patient. These may include making arrangement for nursing home care when appropriate, or for organizing family networks to assist with homecare when that is feasible. (Gale, Paragraph 15) Carriers’ of the Alzheimer’s gene have a possibility of being affected with the disease.
Treating the case early before symptoms occur can relieve one’s relatives and spouse concerns. Frequent worrying and stressing over another’s well-being can cause one to form a mental-illness also known related to depression. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context on Alzheimer’s disease states, “Neurological research has determined that this brain damage begins ten to twenty years before other symptoms of Alzheimer’s appear” (Gale, Paragraph 5). Due to such outcomes, there are prevention clinical trials attempting to stabilize the progression of the disease as soon as possible due to its rapid advancement.
Once the disease advances too far along, some of the new drugs are not affective because it is too late. Considering other’s feelings and for your own benefit, treating the AD gene is the smart way to go especially if it been confirmed that this disease progresses before showing any signs. Over the centuries, human life span expectancy has increased due to advanced medical care, sanitation, and other reasons gained through knowledge. An average of people die within four to six years after being diagnose with Alzheimer’s.
“Diagnosing Alzheimer’s early makes it possible for health care provider to initiate early treatment, which help slow the progression of the disease” (Gale, Paragraph 15). Early-stage Alzheimer’s patients can now be treated with drugs that improve cognitive function. There has been more than one form of treatment approved by the United States for treating Alzheimer’s disease depending on the varied condition. Mentioned in Treatment of Alzheimer’s disease in the long-term-care setting, “[d] onepezil is presently approved for the treatment […] appeared to be safe and effective” (Smith, 899).
Therapeutic treatments are available and often recommended to patient with AD in long-term care facilities. These are just a few temporary reliefs for postponing the symptoms while possible and can sometime increase the duration of the disease as long as 20 years. Exercise and healthy eating habits can lower the risk of AD and add on a few more years of mortality than average. No cure has been uncovered to treat Alzheimer’s disease. It not only affects the patient, but also burdens their family financially.
Gale Opposing Viewpoint In Context on Alzheimer’s disease notifies, “[…] the disease threaten to bankrupt families, businesses, and the U. S. health care system” (Gale, Paragraph 24). Consequently, without any cure for Alzheimer’s a continuation of large amount of currency is spent on medical care for people with AD. For example, Medicare, Employment Health Benefits, and families are spending an abundant amount of money for around the clock care and medications. Predicting if the assumption of the disease rate continue to rise over the years and left uncured, imagine how much more money would have to be spent for health care.
If those with AD gene volunteer and participate in clinical trials for personal purposes before symptoms present, it would help researches understand the disease’s development more and create a little prospect for a cure in the near-term future. In conclusion, Alzheimer’s disease is fatal if left untreated. It should be dealt with as quickly as possible. If immediate action is taken before symptoms of AD appear, it will lessen anxiety among loved ones, prolong life span expectancy, and help further studies for a cure. Work Cited “Alzheimer’s Disease. ” Current Issues: Macmillan Social Science Library.
Detroit: Gale, 2010. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. Kokjohn, Tyler A. , and Kimbal E. Cooper. “The Outlook For Alzheimer’s Disease. ” Futurist 39. 5 (2005): 34. Science Reference Center. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. Smith, David A. “Treatment Of Alzheimer’s Disease In The Long-Term-Care Setting. ” American Journal Of Health-System Pharmacy. 66. 10 (n. d. ): 899. Science Reference Center. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. Stix, Gary. “Alzheimer’s: Forestalling The Darkness. ” Scientific American 302. 6 (2010): 50. Science Reference Center. Web. 12 Apr. 2012.