Alzheimer's
Disease |
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Epidemiology
• Senile dementia is seen in over 47% of the population over 85 years and
increases rapidly after that.
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Alzheimer's disease is the most common senile dementia in patients greater
than 65 years old. Alzheimer's disease is seen before 65 years of age and
is called presenile dementia. Most familial cases are presenile.
• Since the
85 years of age and older group is increasing rapidly, Alzheimer' disease
is becoming an important disease.
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Clinical Correlation
•Alzheimer's disease is a devastating disease causing loss of recent memory,
followed by old memories and apraxias or inability to carry out a normal
procedure such as dressing, eating etc. The patient is finally bedridden
with many neurological signs and usually dies of pneumonia, heart attack,
or stroke.
•Lifespan
with the disease is usually 5 Years after diagnosis but may be 10 years
if the patient is otherwise healthy. Toward the end the patient is unable
to recognize anyone and may become hostile.
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References
• Poirer J et.al. Manual of basic neuropathology. Philadelphia: Saunders,
1990, pp.142.
• Cotran RS, Kumar V, Robbins SL: Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease.
5th ed. Philadelphia, W.B. Saunders, 1994, pp. 1329-1331.
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Alzheimer's
Disease
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Synopsis
by: M. L. Grunnet M.D. (TX2000D85430)[356]
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