Alzheimer Disease Treatment and Care

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Alzheimer's disease: Treatment and Management

Current Alzheimer’s treatment focuses on managing the disease, as there is no cure. The primary goals are to slow cognitive decline and alleviate symptoms that impact daily life. This is achieved through personalized medication and supportive care strategies, starting as early as possible.

Effective management relies on a dedicated team of specialists, including neurologists and geriatricians. Their collaborative approach is centered on enhancing the patient’s quality of life and providing essential support for family caregivers throughout the journey.

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Medical Treatment Options

GERIATRICS
  • Medications are the primary treatment options for Alzheimer’s disease. These drugs work to boost chemical messengers in the brain that are involved in memory and learning. They are generally most effective in the mild to moderate stages of the disease.

    Cholinesterase Inhibitors 

    These medications work by boosting the levels of acetylcholine, a chemical messenger crucial for memory. They are often prescribed early in the disease progression.

    • Purpose: Drugs like Donepezil and Rivastigmine help nerve cells communicate better. They can stabilize cognitive symptoms temporarily.
    • Expectation: These drugs do not stop the disease, but they can slow the worsening of symptoms for a period of time.

    Memantine 

    Memantine works differently by regulating glutamate, another important chemical messenger involved in processing information. This drug is often used for moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease.

    • Usage: It can be used alone or in combination with a cholinesterase inhibitor.
    • Benefit: It helps improve memory, attention, and reasoning, and may help patients maintain daily functions for longer.
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Disease-Modifying Therapies

GERIATRICS

Newer Alzheimer’s disease Treatment options aim to address the underlying cause of the disease, the amyloid plaques that build up in the brain. These therapies represent a significant scientific breakthrough.

  • Anti-Amyloid Drugs: These intravenous drugs target and remove amyloid plaques from the brain. They are prescribed only for patients with confirmed mild cognitive impairment or early-stage Alzheimer’s.
  • Monitoring: Patients receiving these drugs require careful monitoring, including frequent MRI scans, to check for potential brain swelling or bleeding, which are known side effects.

Rehabilitation and Recovery Programs

Rehabilitation focuses on managing behavioral symptoms, supporting the patient’s existing abilities, and assisting the family. Therapy is a core component of lifelong Alzheimer’s disease Management.

  • Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST): Group activities that use theme-based discussion, games, and music to actively engage the patient’s mind and promote memory recall.
  • Occupational Therapy (OT): Therapists adapt the home environment and simplify daily tasks (like dressing or bathing) to help the patient maintain independence for as long as possible.
  • Speech Therapy (ST): Used to address difficulties with language (finding words) and to assess and treat swallowing problems (dysphagia) in advanced stages.

Navigating Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms (BPSD)

Managing difficult behaviors like agitation, aggression, or hallucinations is a critical part of Alzheimer’s care. At LIV Hospital, our first strategy is always non-drug-based, focusing on calming environments, consistent routines, and specialized communication to reduce distress.

If symptoms become severe and pose a safety risk, our specialists may cautiously introduce medications. This is done with careful oversight, using the lowest effective dose to minimize side effects. Our goal is to ensure safety and improve daily life for both the patient and their caregiver.

Treatment and Management Time

  • How long does Alzheimer’s disease treatment take? Treatment is continuous and lifelong, starting from the time of diagnosis and lasting until the end of life. The medications and therapies change as the disease progresses through its stages.

    • Early Stage: Focus is on stabilizing memory with cognitive medications and establishing a healthy lifestyle routine.
    Late Stage: Focus shifts entirely to comfort, safety, pain management, and preventing complications like infections and bedsores.

What Can I Expect During Treatment?

  • What can I expect during the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease? Treatment involves much more than medication. You can expect a structured approach focused on supporting daily living.

    • Regular Monitoring: Frequent follow-up appointments (every 3–6 months) to track cognitive scores and adjust medications as needed.
    • Side Effects: Common side effects of the drugs may include nausea or dizziness, which usually fade over time.
    • Caregiver Training: Family members will receive extensive training on how to handle behavioral changes (like agitation or wandering) safely and effectively.

No Surgical Interventions

  • Surgical interventions are not used to treat the underlying Alzheimer’s disease. Surgery only plays a role if there is a severe, life-threatening complication that requires intervention, such as placing a tube to prevent malnutrition or managing a major fracture from a fall.

Minimally Invasive Procedures

  • There are no routine surgical or minimally invasive procedures used to cure Alzheimer’s disease. However, procedures are sometimes used to manage serious complications of the disease progression.

    • Shunt Placement: In rare cases of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH), a condition that mimics dementia, a shunt may be placed in the brain to drain excess fluid.

    Gastrostomy Tube: In the late stages of Alzheimer’s, if swallowing becomes unsafe, a feeding tube (gastrostomy) may be placed to prevent aspiration pneumonia and malnutrition.

Why Choose LIV Hospital

  • LIV Hospital provides specialized, holistic Alzheimer’s disease Treatment integrated across multiple disciplines. Our comprehensive approach supports both the patient and the essential caregiver.

    • Integrated Neuro-Geriatric Team: We combine neurologists, geriatric specialists, and palliative care doctors in one team. This ensures comprehensive management of both cognitive and physical symptoms.
    • Advanced Diagnostics: We use advanced imaging and biomarker testing to confirm the diagnosis quickly, allowing timely access to disease-modifying therapies.
    • Caregiver Support: We provide dedicated training, respite care referral, and emotional support groups for family members, recognizing their vital role in Alzheimer’s disease Management.



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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are the treatment options for Alzheimer's disease?

Treatment includes prescription drugs for memory and thinking, healthy lifestyle changes, and supportive activities like memory exercises and music sessions. These non-drug therapies help the person stay engaged and maintain their quality of life.

Alzheimer’s care is lifelong and begins at diagnosis. The treatment plan, medications, and support strategies change over time to meet the person’s needs as the disease progresses.

Yes. While there is no cure, a steady treatment plan is important. It helps control symptoms, supports daily abilities, and can slow the disease for many people.

Common medications are cholinesterase inhibitors (like Donepezil) and Memantine. These work to help memory and thinking. For some in the early stages, newer anti-amyloid drugs may also be an option to target the disease itself.

You can expect regular check-ups to monitor thinking skills, a personalized medicine plan, strategies to manage behavior changes, and full support and training for family caregivers.

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