There are many new medical treatments for dementia that have proven successful for many individuals suffering from this common medical condition.
It is believed that as many as 10 percent of individuals over the age of 60 suffer from dementia. That number jumps dramatically to 25 percent of individuals over the age of 80.
Although dementia is most commonly associated with Alzheimer's disease, there are actually multiple types of dementia.
Just like any other medical illness, these different types of dementia have different behaviors and symptoms.
At this time, there is no known cure for any type of dementia, but there are options for medical treatment for dementia available that can slow the progression of the disease and improve the overall quality of life for dementia patients.
Latest Treatments
Physicians are currently treating dementia by focusing on the specific effects of the disease.
Often, many of the effects of dementia are irreversible, especially if left untreated.
Although there are not any treatments available that can completely reverse these effects of dementia, there are certainly ways to slow down or potentially stop some of the more serious effects of the disease.
Additionally, these medical treatments for dementia strive to find the root cause of the problem.
Although dementia can be a specific disease, it can also be a side effect of another disease.
Dementia can be caused by something as simple as incorrect medication or an interaction between two different types of medication.
Medication for Dementia - Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors
There are certain types of medication that has been used to treat different types of dementia.
The most widely publicized type of medication is undoubtedly the family of Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors.
This type of drug has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and is currently being used as a medical treatment for Alzheimer's Disease in addition to other types of dementia.
The brands associated with these inhibitors include Cognex, Aricept, Reminyl, and Exelon.
These drugs work to inhibit the breakdown of acetylcholine, which is a chemical produced by the brain that allows the nerve cells to communicate.
In most forms of dementia, when acetylocholine is broken down and becomes unable to be properly used by the body, the nerves are unable to communicate.
When the nerves are unable to communicate, the mind is unable to clearly process thoughts. Although these medications have shown progress in delaying the slowing this breakdown and delaying the signs of dementia, they are unable to completely stop or reverse the effects.
Furthermore, once a patient begins taking one of these acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, he or she must remain on the medications indefinitely, since the breakdown can become expedited when the medication is stopped.
Medication for Dementia - N-methyl D-aspartate Blockers
Another type of medication typically used for the treatment of dementia is the N-methyl D-aspartate blockers.
These blockers include Namenda, another Food and Drug Administration approved drug that has shown success in treating those individuals with Alzheimer's.
The body naturally produces a chemical known as glutamate, which can be hazardous to the body if produced in too great a quantity.
If exposed to great quantities of this chemical, brain cell activity can decrease and nerve cells can die.
Individuals who have certain types of dementia are found to have increased productivity of glutamate, and these medications can better regulate chemical production.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a type of dementia, know that there are options available that can slow the progression of the disease.
Doctors and researchers are continuing to work towards a cure for all types of dementia, so a cure may be right around the corner.
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