The Progression Of Alzheimers Disease: Stages Of The Disease


Alzheimer disease is a very well known disease that is on the forefront of research. Scientists are trying to discover how this disease works, and treatments that can be used to counter the progressive nature of the disease. The progression of Alzheimers disease can vary from patient to patient, but it does seem to travel in a similar manner.

The Typical Progression Of Alzheimers Disease

Through years of research, doctors have determined the progression of Alzheimers disease. The initial stage is considered stage 1. During this period, there are no symptoms or signs of Alzheimer disease.

The next step in the progression of Alzheimers disease is stage 2. During this stage little symptoms begin to show. Becoming forgetful is one of the classic symptoms during this stage of the progression of Alzheimers disease. People may experience forgetting where they put something like keys or glasses. The symptoms do not appear that obvious, and are sometimes associated with being too busy or just getting older.

The third stage is when other people begin to notice the changes in a persons memory or abilities. This part of the progression of Alzheimers disease is when many begin talking to a physician and looking for answers to their forgetfulness. At this stage many people are beginning to have problems at work, reading something and then forgetting what it said. The symptoms are becoming more noticeable and severe.

The next stage in the progression of Alzheimer disease is stage four. The memory continues to decline and the ability to perform tasks becomes more of a problem. Just being able to plan an event, or do the checkbook is difficult.

The progression of Alzheimers disease then hits stage 5, where the individual may not remember their address, or phone number. They may become confused at simple questions. They will still be able to use a bathroom by themselves, but are becoming more confused during social situations.

The next two stages show an increase in the patients inability to physically take care of themselves. Stages 6 and 7 in the progression of Alzheimers disease are when constant care needs to occur. Patients may loose their ability to communicate, to swallow and they will need supervision. They may become unable to walk, sit-up by themselves and their muscles become rigid.

The average life span of a patient with Alzheimers is 8 years, but they can live anywhere from 3 to 20 years. The progression of Alzheimers disease is difficult for family members to watch as the stages indicate; it becomes a completely disabling disuse. If symptoms are noticed it is important to consult a physician for a complete evaluation.

Information On Alzheimers

She had rapid memory loss, confusion, disorientation and was suspicious of her own family and staff members at the hospital.

Help him to select clothing to wear and food to eat by offering a small number of choices. There are many studies that reveal that as many as fifty percent of errors made by the medical fraternity can be attributed to mistakes made when admitting or discharging a patient, and with the help of Alzheimers medical alert bracelets patients can be assured of not becoming victims of such costly medical errors. The first step is to realize that your family member may vary from day to day and even hour to hour in what they are able to accomplish.

The basic idea behind all of these tests is to eliminate other possible causes for symptoms so that a diagnosis of Alzheimers disease, if made, will be accurate.
Dead and dying nerve cells as well as the build up of plaques prevent the brain from successfully transmitting signals to other areas of the brain. Again, this can happen to people periodically, but when it is an on going problem it should be talked about with a physician. However, if you think that your loved one has Alzheimers, then you should try to talk to this person's doctor and get them help. You may be wondering whether or not you should get yourself tested. Because there is no known cause for alzheimers disease, symptoms are pretty much the first sign of the disease.

Some of these indictors include: unsteadiness when walking; incontinence of urine; poor test scores on mental acuity tests; rapid decline during the first year they are diagnosed; wandering behaviors; and preexisting conditions such as heart disease or diabetes.
The total points earned on the test is considered the patients position on the Alzheimers disease assessment scale and their level on a scale of one to seven, with one being very little sign of loss of cognitive ability and seven, meaning probable institutionalization. Alzheimers disease and mediacation have been studied together for some time as medical research strives to find a way to halt or even cure the degenerative symptoms of this illness. Therefore, it really is a personal decision that you will have to make. Wisniewski from the United States and Bengt Winblad from Sweden.