Patients who are experiencing any symptoms resembling Alzheimer’s disease should schedule an appointment with their doctor to perform a thorough evaluation. Other conditions and disorders like depression, chemical imbalance, and brain injury can cause similar symptoms to Alzheimer’s disease, and it is important that the patient be properly diagnosed.

The Evaluation

When evaluating a patient for Alzheimer’s disease, the doctor will perform a thorough medical, psychiatric, and neurological exam. The key to determining the likelihood of a patient’s having Alzheimer’s disease lies in eliminating other potential causes for the patient’s symptoms. There is no single definitive test for whether a patient has the disease. In fact, doctors can know for certain whether a patient had Alzheimer’s disease only by performing an autopsy after death. By performing an autopsy, a pathologist can determine whether the patient had Alzheimer’s disease by examining the brain for any changes and abnormalities that are characteristic of the disease.

The disease runs its course to varying degrees among different people. A patient could live with Alzheimer’s disease for as little as two to three years or for as long as 20 or more years. While Alzheimer’s disease begins to destroy the neurotransmitters in the brain first, its eventual destruction of other cells in the brain as well leads to death in its victims. Patients with Alzheimer’s disease eventually need a complete care system as the disease causes loss of functioning and ability to perform everyday tasks or to be self-sufficient. It is the loss of brain function that causes death in patients with the disease.

Once the doctor has ruled out other causes that can mimic the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, patients can be tentatively diagnosed with the condition. It is then advisable to begin a treatment program in order to counteract the symptoms of the disease and to prevent some loss of function that may occur. By starting a treatment program immediately after diagnosis, patients have a better chance at leading longer, more productive lives. With proper treatment, patients can also be self-sufficient for longer periods of time than they would without a diagnosis.