Alzheimer's;

 

Especially after the age of 65, there is an increase in its incidence. It is the most common form of dementia. There may be a delay in the detection of the disease because it appears as simple forgetfulness in the first stage and these can be confused with daily forgetfulness. The disease was first identified by the German psychiatrist and neuropathologist Alois Alzheimer in 1906, and for this reason the disease is named after him. There is no definitive treatment for Alzheimer's disease. However, some treatment methods are used to slow down its progression, improve the quality of life of patients, or treat physical symptoms. Early diagnosis can prolong the early stage of the disease, especially the slow development of the disease, and the time for patients to lead an independent life.

 

Incidence of Alzheimer's Disease

In countries where the elderly population is increasing, there is an increase in diseases related to aging. Turkey has become one of the countries where the elderly population has increased since the 2000s. It is expected that the elderly population in the country will reach 10.3% by 2023. Between the years 2012-1017, an increase was observed in the incidence of both the elderly population and dementia-type diseases in Turkey. This means an increase in the incidence of Alzheimer's disease in the society. According to a study conducted in Turkey in 2017, a total of 13,600 people died in 2017 due to Alzheimer's disease. Of these, 7901 are female and 4999 are male. There are approximately 44 million Alzheimer's patients in the world today, and more than 7 million people are diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease every year. It is thought that 75.6 million people in 2030 and 135.5 million people in 2050 will have Alzheimer's disease. The incidence of Alzheimer's disease, which is one of the degenerative forms of Primary Dementia, is 50-70% among all other forms of dementia. In other words, it is one of the most common types of dementia. Alzheimer's disease has a rate of 1 in 20 in patients aged between 40 and 65, 1 in 14 in patients over 65 years of age, and 1 in 6 in patients over 80 years of age. It has been defined by the World Health Organization as a global health problem.

What Are the Symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease?

Symptoms of Alzheimer's disease vary according to the stage the patient is in. However, in general, symptoms can be divided into two different titles, mental and physical.

 

Memory loss,

loss of language skills,

regression in visual-spatial skills,

Abstract thinking and judgment disorder,

Personality and behavioral changes,

Inability to take care of oneself

Physical dysfunction is the most common symptom.

In addition, patients may experience increased levels of paranoia, delirium, aggression, rhythm disturbances in metabolism, anxiety, depression and phobias, depending on the stages. Depression is one of the most devastating effects of this disease. Sometimes it can be even more challenging than the disease itself.