|
Page: Epidemiology and Prevention
Main article
| Home > Elderly Health > Epidemiology and Prevention |
Alzheimer's disease is the most frequent type of dementia in the elderly and affects almost half of all patients with dementia. Correspondingly, advancing age is the primary risk factor for Alzheimer's. Among people aged 65, 2-3% show signs of the disease, while 25–50% of people aged 85 have symptoms of Alzheimer's and an even greater number have some of the pathological hallmarks of the disease without the characteristic symptoms. Every five years after the age of 65, the probability of having the disease doubles. The share of Alzheimer's patients over the age of 85 is the fastest growing segment of the Alzheimer's disease population in the US, although current estimates suggest the 75-84 population has about the same number of patients as the over 85 population.
The evidence relating certain behaviors, dietary intakes, environmental exposures, and diseases to the likelihood of developing Alzhemier's varies in quality and its acceptance by the medical community. It is important to understand that interventions that reduce the risk of developing disease in the first place may not alter disease progression after symptoms become apparent. Due to their observational design, studies examining disease risk factors are often at risk from confounding variables. Several recent large, randomized controlled trials—in particular the Women's Health Initiative—have called into question preventive measures based on cross-sectional studies. Some proposed preventive measures are even based on studies conducted solely in animals.
Risk reducers
* Intellectual stimulation (e.g., playing chess or doing crosswords)
* Regular physical exercise
* Regular social interaction
* A Mediterranean diet with fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fat, supplemented in particular with:
o B vitamins
o Omega-3 fatty acids, especially Docosahexaenoic acid
o Fruit and vegetable juice
o High doses of the antioxidant Vitamin E (in combination with vitamin C) seem to reduce Alzheimer's risk in cross sectional studies but not in a randomized trial and so are not currently a recommended preventive measure because of observed increases in overall mortality
* Cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins) reduce Alzheimer's risk in observational studies but so far not in randomized controlled trials
* Female Hormone replacement therapy is no longer thought to prevent dementia based on data from the Women's Health Initiative
* Long-term usage of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), used to reduce joint inflammation and pain, are associated with a reduced likelihood of developing AD, according to some observational studies. The risks appear to outweigh the drugs' benefit as a method of primary prevention.
* One recent research study has found that cannabinoids, the psychoactive compounds in marijuana, "succeed in preventing the neurodegenerative process occurring in the disease."However, this finding has not been replicated.
Risk factors
* Advancing age
* Aluminum Intake
* ApoE epsilon 4 genotype (in some populations)
* Head injury
* Poor cardiovascular health (including smoking, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol)
|
Important notice:
The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other
qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
|