Dementia Flashcards
Dementia is defined as a decline from prior functioning, interfering with ADLs when it isn’t better explained by _______ or __________ ________
Delirium or psychiatric disorder
T/F To be considered cognitively impaired you need 4/5 symptoms.
F. You need 2
What are the 5 diagnostic symptoms associated with dementia
- Visuospatial skills
- Language skills
- Memory
- Judgment, reasoning, or handling complex tasks
- Personality/ behavior changes
DDx for most dementias
(Alzheimer’s, Lewy Body, Vascular, Frontotemporal) Dementia/ CJD/ normal pressure hydrocephalus/ hypothyroidism/ depression/ Wernicke’s encephalopathy/ delirium/ Hepatic encephalopathy/ drug or EtOH intoxication/ Brain tumor or metastasis/ Pseudodementia/ Uremia/ Syphilis/ Intracranial hemorrhage
What is the MC type of dementia?
Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
What is the biggest risk factor for AD?
Older age (6th-7th decade)
Old people get AD: what are other risk factors?
FH (autosomal dominant genetic mutations - Down Syndrome), lower education level, being a woman
The Pathophys of AD is caused by what 2 proteins? What formations do they make?
Beta-amyloid - Neuritic plaque Hyperphosphorylated tau (p-tau) - neurofibrillary tangles
What neuro transmitter is decreased in AD?
Acetylcholine
What part of the brain is first to be affected by AD?
Hippocampus
What is the hippocampus involved in?
Memories, learning, emotions
explicit (declarative) memory declines first in AD
The ability to make an egg or ride a bike is a certain kind of memory. What is it?
Implicit (procedural) memory. This is spared in AD
AD patients present with declines in their executive function, especially when out of their safe, predictable environment. What are these deficits?
Les motivated, organized, and abstract thinking
Finances
Driving, shopping, housekeeping
Following instructions on the job
Memory is tricky because how do you know if you have lost it? And if you do know, will you remember? What is it called when you aren’t aware of your own deficits?
Anosognosia
Most patients are aware of their memory loss
T/F Behavioral/ neuro psychiatric abnormalities are common in mild, moderate, severe, and end stage AD
F: it isn’t common in mild. They only have slight recent memory issues
The common first behavioral/ neuropsychiatric symptoms of AD are what 3 things?
Apathy, irritable, socially disengaged
The common later behavioral/ neuropsychiatric symptoms of AD are what 4 things?
Overt agitation, aggression, psychosis, wandering
Define dyspraxia/ apraxia
difficulty/ inability to execute a motor task
What are the 6 main clinical presentations of AD?
Dyspraxia/ apraxia Olfactory dysfunction Sleep disturbances Visuospatial deficits (read a clock) Seizures Destabilization caused by changes
AD is a progressive disease. It starts mild and eventually will progress to death. What is the MCC of death?
Aspiration
From mild it first goes to Mod. What are the main deficits of AD that show up here?
Impaired language Easily lost and confused Not able to work Apraxia emerges Visuospatial ADL deficits become more prominent
From Mod the obvious progression is to Severe. What marks this stage of AD?
Either wandering away or stuck in bed since they can't walk. Delusional Disinhibited Disturbed sleep cycle Withdrawn
The definitive diagnosis is histological so we have to do it before the patient dies. What labs and imaging would you get to rule out other diagnosis?
CBC, CMP, TSH, B12, RPR, UA C&S
CT or MRI
You can get labs and imaging, but what else should you do to diagnose AD clinically?
Cognition assessment
What are three Cognition assessments?
MMSE, MoCA, SLUMS
There are 2 main drug treatments, 2 mixed drug treatments, and 2 treatments with no shown benefits. What are they?
Cholinesterase inhibitors and NMDA receptor antagonist
Vitamin E and Selegiline (antidepressant)
Anti-inflammatory drugs, Ginkgo biloba
Cholinesterase inhibitors work by slowing the progression of AD by increasing the amount of ACh in the CNS so it would benefit what stages of people with AD?
Mild- Mod
What are the 3 Cholinesterase Inhibitors from most to least common?
Donepezil (Aricept), Rivastigmine( Exelon), Galantamine (Razadyne)
What 2 side effects do every cholinesterase have?
N/V
What drug is used on patients with mod-severe AD?
NMDA receptor antagonists
Memantine (Namenda)
The drug name on this one is nice if you remember NMDA - N(a)M(end)DA
T/F Pts with AD could have delirium; you should consider other causes before you treat their neuropsychiatric symptoms.
True.
Consider medical causes, medication side effects, or pain they can’t express.
What are the 4 medication classes used to treat neuropsych symptoms in AD?
Antidepressants - Citalopram (Celexa)
Anti-seizure - Carbamazepine (Tegretol), Valproate (Depakote) Gabapentin (Neurontin)
Dextromethorphan-quinidine (Nuedexta)
When do you need to give antipsychotics to AD pts? Why should you be careful about using them?
Increases mortality. Not approved for treatment of behavioral disturbance in those with dementia.
Safety of caregiver necessitates use.
Which is not an antipsychotic used to help in AD?
a. Seroquel
b. Risperidone
c. Gabapentin
d. Zyprexa
c. Gabapentin is an anti-seizure med.
When antipsychotics are used with AD, what are some side effects and how would you prevent them?
Tapering helps lessen S/E
EPS/TD, somnolence, Increased risk for: CVA, MI
AD is a progressive, incurable disease: what is the typical course from diagnosis?
8-10 years
What are the 5 most common causes of death in AD?
Aspiration (MCC), malnutrition, secondary infections, PE, heart disease
What is the second most common form of dementia?
VaD - Vascular Dementia
T/F There is a significant overlap of VaD with AD.
True. 15-20% have both
Men over the age of 65 get VaD the most. What are 5 other risk factors?
Cardiovascular disease, high glucose levels, DM, HTN, afib