Treatment For Dementia Disorder
Article by Suta
In recent years a number of new treatments have become available to help patients with the condition of dementia. It is believed that as many as 10 percent of individuals over the age of 60 suffer from dementia a figure that increases dramatically to 25 percent of individuals over the age of 80.
Unfortunately, the interest in Alzheimer’s disease, which is just one form of dementia, has put many of the other forms of dementia in the background. At this time, there is no known cure for any type of dementia, but there are options for medical treatment for dementia available that can slow the progression of the disease and improve the overall quality of life for dementia patients.
Researchers believe the way forward is to focus on specific symptoms of the condition as there are many that cannot be cured if they have been left for to long without attention. A complete reversal of dementia does not yet exist but treatments that help slow the progress of the condition can work, especially when the diagnosis is made early.
The difficulty comes from the fact that dementia does not have to be the result of a specific disease but other contributing factors may be to blame like medication for a disease or even one of the side effects cause by the disease or the medication used to treat it. Although there are a number of drugs currently being used to help treat dementia.
Approved by the FDA, some success has been seen with patients suffering with Alzheimer’s disease. These drugs have a particular function and that is to help slow down the problems caused by the chemical produced by the body to help the brain cells communicate with each other called, acetylcholine; drugs like Exelon, Aricept, Reminyl and Cognex.
The problem with taking these drugs which have proved to be able to slow down the symptoms of dementia is that once they have been taken by a patient, they cannot be stopped as the condition will progress faster. The FDA have also approved the use of blockers called N-methyl D-aspartate, both of which have shown signs of success with treating dementia but may better known by the name Namenda.
It has been discovered situations where the body itself is causing the signs of dementia by creating too much glutamate which causes a decrease in brain activity and kills brain cells. This condition is found in patients with particular types of dementia and a process which can be reduced with the medications mentioned previously.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a type of dementia, know that there are options available that can slow the progression of the disease and researchers are continuing to work towards a cure for all types of dementia, so a cure may be right around the corner.
About the Author
Article on health by Suta at: http://health4allofus.blogspot.com/