Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment – Explore the Possibilities

Alzheimer’s disease begins slowly with seemingly mild symptoms, but eventually progresses into a killer disease that renders its sufferers helpless and continually confused. It is a fatal, permanent, and degenerative brain disorder. Memory loss, disorientation, inability to reason, and confusion all worsen as brain cells die. There is no known cure for Alzheimer’s, but there are a variety of treatments that have proved effective in minimizing the symptoms, or at least stabilizing them for a period of time. Effective treatment can also delay the need for round the clock care.

Two Classes of Drugs

Two specific classes of drugs have been approved as effective Alzheimer’s disease treatment. The first class is cholinesterase inhibitors. This group of drugs contain the popular and commonly prescribed drugs Aricept®, Exelon®, and Razadyne® (formerly known as Reminyl®). These drugs are not effective for everyone, but about half of those who take them see some improvement in their cognitive functioning.

Memantine, another drug for Alzheimer’s disease treatment was approved by the FDA in October of 2003. It seems to work by regulating a certain chemical in the brain called glutamate that has to do with storing information, processing it, and retrieving it. This drug is prescribed for patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s.

Vitamin E is often prescribed as an Alzheimer’s treatment because it might help brain cells stay strong and defend themselves against free radicals (oxygen molecules that damage cells and cause oxidative stress). Vitamin C is also potentially helpful. It’s best to check with a doctor before taking high levels of these antioxidants, even though most people can take them with no side effects.

Alternative Alzheimer’s treatments

Some dietary supplements and herbal remedies have been promoted recently as effective treatments for Alzheimer’s and other diseases. While many of these alternative treatments have been shown to have positive effects, the scientific community, and most specifically the FDA, does have legitimate concerns about their widespread use and effectiveness. That said, some of the most promising are:

Coenzyme Q10 This is an enzyme that occurs naturally in the body and has to do with normal cell reactions.

Ginkgo biloba This is a plant extract that has been found to have a positive effect on brain cells. It has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine. It is being widely used in Europe to treat cognitive symptoms associated with a number of neurological conditions. There are few known side effects from using Ginkgo, but one is that it reduces the blood’s ability to clot, which is important for anyone taking blood-thinning drugs to know.

Coral calcium This form of calcium is derived from the shells of the organisms found on coral reefs. It has been widely touted in recent years as an effective Alzheimer’s disease treatment. The FTC and the FDA are both concerned with the inflated marketing claims surrounding coral calcium and do not think there is enough scientific evidence to support those claims.

It’s important to do your own research and then discuss your findings with the medical team treating your Alzheimer’s patient. There are lots of options, and more research will continually be found to support new and more effective treatments.