Alzheimer's Treatments and How They Work

Alzheimer's Treatments and How They Work
A neurological disease thought to be the most common form
of dementia in the elderly, Alzheimer's disease is
incurable. Treatment, however is possible and can alleviate
the symptoms to some extent ' which can ease the heavy
burden faced by caregivers for Alzheimer's patients. There
are both pharmaceutical and non-drug treatment options for
Alzheimer's disease.

First, it is vital for the caregiver to understand that the
Alzheimer's patient does not act the way that they do
intentionally. Anger and depression are common behavioral
changes exhibited by sufferers, and knowing and coping with
this is a large part of Alzheimer's treatments.

A non-drug method of Alzheimer's treatments is to aid the
afflicted in adapting to their situation and their
surroundings. Alzheimer's patients often have a hard time
dealing with loud noises and unfamiliar situations. If the
caregiver can make some accommodation to fit the
environment to comfort the patient, this can be very
helpful to patient and caregiver alike.

Alzheimer's symptoms can be split into two basic
categories, these being Behavioral and Cognitive. Behavior,
of course relates to the way the patient acts while
Cognitive symptoms effect how the patient thinks, remembers
and plans.

Drug therapy Alzheimer's treatments are intended to slow
the chemical processes that are going on in the patient's
brain, rather than being aimed at changing the behavior of
the patient. Cholinesterase inhibitors are used in treating
the early stages of the disease and include Galantamine
(aka Razadyne) and Rivastigmine (aka Exelon). The drug
Donepezil (Aricent) is used in all three stages of the
disease.

Cholinesterase inhibitors work to block the prevention of
acetylcholine from breaking down. This chemical is active
in the brain for memory and learning functions. These drugs
keep levels of acetylcholine high, keeping the patient
capable of communication.

Memantine (aka Namenda) acts to control glutamate. This
drug is used to prevent the breakdown of this chemical
which helps Alzheimer's patients learn new facts and
communicate effectively. This chemical breaks down very
quickly in Alzheimer's patient's brains, which makes this
an important medication.

Like most medicines, these also come with side effects.
Commonly experienced ones include nausea, loss of appetite,
dizziness and headaches. There may also be interactions
with other drugs taken by the patient. The doctor and
pharmacist filling the prescription should always be kept
informed about any and every drug the patient is currently
taking. This way, drug interactions can be either
prevented, or quickly recognized should they occur.

The dosage given of any of these drugs will begin at a low
dosage and gradually increase to the limit of what the
patient can tolerate, and the medication is performing as
intended.

Drug and non-drug Alzheimer's treatments in tandem will
give an Alzheimer's sufferer the highest odds of being able
to enjoy some of the time that they have left and reduce
the distress for patient and caregiver alike. This is a
disease which causes an incredible amount of suffering and
exhaustion not only for the patient, but for the caregiver.
The best Alzheimer's treatment plans will give some relief
to both.

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