Alzheimer’s Flashcards
normal aging
making a bad decision once in a while
missing a monthly payment
forgetting which day it is and remembering later
sometimes forgetting which word to use
losing things from time to time
Alzheimer’s disease
making poor judgments and decisions a lot of the time
problems taking care of monthly bills
losing track of the date or time of year
trouble having a conversation
misplacing things often and being unable to find them
dementia
umbrella term used to describe a range of symptoms associated with cognitive impairment
alzheimer’s = 60-80%
vascular = 20-30%
lewy bodies = 10-25%
frontotemporal = 10-15%
mixed dementia
> 1 neuropathology
prevalence unknown
Most common form→ 60-80% of dementia is AD
Hallmark pathology is the accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques outside neurons and tau proteins (tangles) inside neurons
alzheimers clinical presentation:
Memory impairment
Lapse in judgement
Personality changes
Depression
Language difficulty
Difficulty with ADL
Visual-spatial impairment
Changes in temperamen
Loss of motor function (swallowing, B/B
Vascular Dementia
- Previously called multi-infarct or post-stroke dementia
- Accounts for approx. 10% of cases, but common in older individuals with dementia
- Impaired judgement, impaired ability to make decision, plan or organize (as opposed to memory loss)
- Risk factors similar to those for stroke/MI
- More abrupt onset, fluctuating course, emotional lability
Lewy Body Dementia
Lewy bodies: abnormal aggregations of alphasynuclein that accumulates in neurons
Symptoms of sleep disturbance
- Visual hallucinations
- Slowness, gait imbalance
- Early visuospatial impairment
Frontotemporal Dementia
Caused by a group of disorders that occur causing loss of nerve cells in the frontal and temporal lobes
Most common dementia to strike younger ages 45-60
Frontal variant. This form of FTD affects behavior and personality.
Primary progressive aphasia. Aphasia means difficulty communicating. This form has two subtypes:
Delirium
Sudden, rapid change in mental function that are associated with medical illness,recovery from surgery, hospitalization (especially longer stays/critical care)
Associated with behavioral changes
Is reversible
Delirium vs dementia
Delirium-
> Sudden onset
> Fluctuating symptoms
> Impaired attention and consciousness
> Is reversible
Dementia-
> progressive onset
> slow progression
> Memory loss
> Difficulty with abstract thoughts
As the disease progresses:
> Dependence on custodial care increases
> Judgment/executive functioning impaired
> Self-help limited
> Difficulty with communicating
> Confusion
> Elevated injury risk
A person with Alzheimer’s/dementia is ___ as likely to have ___ other chronic conditions as someone without Alzheimer’s/dementia.
5.5 times
6 or more
Implication
Alzheimer’s complicates the management of coexisting conditions – and as a consequence, increases costs.
Why is Alzheimer’s costly?
780 hospital stays for every 1,000 seniors with Alzheimer’s or dementia
243 hospital stays for every 1,000 seniors without these conditions
People with Alzheimer’s or dementia have over 3 times as many hospital stays
