Why An Early Diagnosis Of Alzheimer's Disease Is Important
Alzheimer's diagnosis started in 1907, when Alois Alzheimer reported the first
case of the illness that was later to be named after him. The case he described
was a 51- year- old woman with progressive cognitive decline and behavioral
changes, associated with plaques and tangles in the brain. Today, more than 4
million Americans are diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's diagnosis
will be more important than ever in the future, as the number of diagnosed
alzheimer's cases is expected to triple in the next 50 years. The annual cost of
caring for alzheimer's patients in the United States is more than $100 billion,
making early alzheimer's diagnosis imperative.
Early and
accurate diagnosis is critical for both families and society at large.Why? Many
reasons. Early diagnosis of alzheimer's gives patients a better chance to
benefit from new drugs and treatments. Early diagnosis helps those with
alzheimer's disease and their families have more time to plan for the future,
and because the family can plan the future with some certainty, there is less
anxiety about the future. Early diagnosis makes it also possible for patients to
participate in ongoing clinical trials and to get on waiting lists for services,
such as meals on wheels or other support services.