A new study from the University of Eastern Finland found that detecting and treating Alzheimer's disease in its early stages can help patients lead a relatively normal life for a longer time.
Alzheimer's is a common occurrence in old age but a latest study suggests that it can be controlled with early detection and treatment and patients can lead a normal life. Alzheimer's disease is currently the sixth leading cause of death in the United States of America with more than 5 million people suffering from the disease, says a latest report from Alz.org.
Alzheimer's disease is a brain disorder and the most common form of dementia that affects the memory, thinking and reasoning skills. The disease is termed as progressive, which means that the disease gradually damages more parts of the brain causing severe symptoms.
Researchers of the study, psychologist Ilona Hallikainen and adjunct professor, psychologist Tuomo Hänninen, studied a group of Alzheimer's patients for a period of three years. Participants were either diagnosed with the disease or were just at the initial stages and underwent standard healthcare system.
According to the results of the study, presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) in Boston July 17, patients diagnosed with mild Alzheimer's and who were given early treatment were better able to manage their daily tasks than those who were diagnosed at a more advanced stage of the disease. Early diagnosed patients had less psychological and behavioral symptoms, the study states.
Hence, the researchers of the study concluded that early detection and targeted treatment for Alzheimer's can boost better results.
According to a report from Alzheimer's Association, the rate of deaths from Alzheimer's increased by 68 percent from 2000 to 2010, with one in every three seniors dying from Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. In 2013, the total cost for providing health care to Alzheimer's patients will total an estimated $203 billion and will go up to $1.2 trillion by 2050.
The findings of the study will be published in the journal International Psychogeriatrics.
