Alzheimer's Case Study

Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia, here in America there is an estimated 5 million people living with the disease today. The population size contributes significantly to the prevalence of Alzheimer’s in the US. As the population size increases, the number of Americas with this disease increases aswell.
3. Identify at least 2 treatments used to treat this disorder?
Unfortunately there is no cure for Alzheimer’s at this time, however numerous treatment options are available. Medication such as Galantamine can be prescribed to temporarily treat the deterioration of nerve cells. Ensuring that the individual is living comfortably and has the best quality of life is a treatment other than drugs that can be used to help relieve some
What is the prognosis for your chosen disorder?
Some people battle with this mental illness for as long as twenty years, however, the average lifespan after diagnosis is about four to eight years. Although Alzheimer’s progressively gets worse over time, symptoms may vary differently with each individual. The most common problem that people who suffer from this disease face is memory loss that is accompanied with confusion and behavioral issues. As the disease progresses an individual may begin to wander, have difficulty communicating, become incontinent and eventually need assistance completing daily activities.
5. What are some cultural and gender considerations related to this disorder (i.e. are women more likely to be diagnosed with this disorder; is this disorder not found in Asian populations, etc.)
Alzheimer's disease affects people from various cultural backgrounds. Here in America, African Americans are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s than Caucasians, then comes Latinos. Factors such as older age, a family history of mental illness, and genetics all contribute to the likelihood of developing the disease. Research conducted by the Alzheimer’s Association found that there are more cases of women with the disease than men. This conclusion was formed due to the belief that women live longer than men and the greatest risk factor of this illness is old
However, I learned several things that I didn’t know while researching this topic. I always thought that preventing Alzheimer’s was inevitable so I was very shocked to found out that taking good care of your heart can drastically reduce the risk of development. I was interested in knowing why so I did further research and learned that the brain receives nutrients from our blood vessels and it is the heart that is responsible for bumping blood through those vessels. So it is very important to keep our hearts as healthy as possible by doing things like monitoring our weight and eating right. Making such lifestyle changes can help protect our brain and reduce the risks of disease. Also, learning that two thirds of those with Alzheimer’s in America are women has made me realize that this affects me too. I never took that into consideration prior to this assignment, so from here on out I vow to start making changes to my daily life to ensure good