Alzheimer's Flashcards
What populations are affected by Alzheimer’s?
LD, Parkinson’s, BME
What is the mortality of Alzheimer’s?
Terminal condition, 5-8 years from diagnosis.
Aphasia, Apraxia, Agnosia, Disturbance of executive functioning, depression, psychosis, behavioural and personality changes are all symptoms of what?
Alzheimer’s disease / dementia
Early stages (year 1-3) of Alzheimer’s include what symptoms?
Learning difficulties
Depression
Losing direction when out
Recent memory impairment and forgetting names
Increased number of accidents whilst driving
Impaired activity of daily living
Mid stages (year 2-7) of Alzheimer’s include what symptoms?
Aphasia, Amnesia, Inability to bath, eat, toilet, or dress without help. Behavioural and Psychiatric changes, Inability to calculate solutions and problem solve!
Late stages (7+ years), of Alzheimer’s include what symptoms?
Seizures, Short and long term memory loss, double incontinence, Mutism or nonsensical speech, complete dependence on others, rigid posture
What type of Dementia is caused by increasing age, family history, down syndrome, ApoE4, Low IQ, Previous head injury, Cerebrovascular disease, depression, diabetes, obesity?
Alzheimer’s!
What type of Dementia has a sudden onset in late 60’s-70’s?
Vascular disease
What type of dementia is caused by an infarct, hypertension, stroke, TIA, family history, male, smoking or AF?
Vascular dementia
What type of dementia has the symptoms of; Emergent of emotional and personality changes including depression and memory impairment, apraxia, agnosia, dysarthria, dizziness, gait walk, weakness of extremities, extensor plantar response, pseudobulbar palsy, exaggeration of deep tension reflexes?
Vascular
What type of dementia have these symptoms; repeated falls, syncope, transient loss of consciousness, systemised delusions, non-visual hallucinations, REM sleep behaviour disorder, depression, extremely sensitive to side effects of antipsychotics?
Lewy body dementia
What type of dementia is caused by: related to Parkinson’s disease, and family history?
Lewy body dementia
What type of dementia has an onset of 45-70 years of age and doesn’t follow the conventional therapy?
Frontotemporal lobar degeneration / Frontotemporal dementia
Frontal lobal dementia is responsible for what change in a person?
Behaviour and personality
Temporal lobe dementia is responsible for what change in a person?
Language disorders
The following symptoms are related to what type of dementia?: Insidious onset, slow progression, early loss of insight, early signs of disinhibition, distractibility, impulsivitiy, language features (repeating!), affective features (depression, emotional blunting, apathy)
Frontotemporal lobar degeneration / Frontotemporal Dementia
The causes of what type of dementia are primarily unknown, but can be associated with mutations in progranulin (GRN), TAU linked to chromosome 17, TDP-43 and C90RF72 genes?
Frontotemporal lobar degeneration / Frontotemporal Dementia
What investigates are done in primary care to rule out differential diagnosis?
Alzheimers**
- FBC
- U&E’s
- LFT’s
- CRP
- Calcium and Phosphate
- Thyroid function
- Vitamin B12 and Folate
- Urine dipstick
- Blood Glucose
Temperature
What investigations are done in secondary care to rule out differential diagnosis?
Alzheimer’s**
- MRI and CT scan
- Urinalysis
- HIV status
- Neuropsychological assessment
EEG
What MMSE score means a patient is initiated on treatment? Alzheimers*
21-25 ‘Mild AD’
What agents are proven to prevent dementia?
Antihypertensives, Beer, Oestrogen,
What agents are proven to be helpful at the onset of dementia ?
Ginseng
What medication group is used at the onset of Dementia?
AChEI’s
What is first line AChEI?
Donepezil
What AChEI can be used for Lewy body dementia off license?
Rivastigmine
What type of AChEI is a selective reversible inhibitor?
Donepezil
What type of AChEI is a selective reversible AChE inhibitor, and enhances the response of nAchR to Ach?
Galantamine
What type of AChEI is a non-selective reversible AChE inhibitor, non-competitive?
Rivastigmine
What is a common side effect of Donepezil and when can it be dangerous?
!!Bradycardia!! (Dangerous in certain heart diseases, or if taking heart-slowing drugs such as Digoxin, Beta blockers, or CCB!)
What type of drug is used in the later stages of dementia?
Memantine - NMDA receptor antagonist
Dose of Memantine?
5mg OD for one week then increased by 5mg per week until at 20mg,
What is Memantine cautioned in?
Epilepsy and seizures!
Examples of Anti-amyloid antibodies?
Aducanumab, and Lecanemab
What medications can cause cognitive decline?
○ Antihistamines: Diphenhydramine
○ Tricyclic antidepressants
○ Antipsychotics: Quetiapine
○ Drugs used in urinary incontinence: Solfienacin
○ Hyoscine
○ Painkillers: Morphine
Some Asthma and COPD medications