Alzheimer's is a disease that gets worse over time. Although there is not yet a cure for the disease, medical science is making advances. Today, there are a number of different treatment options available. While most treatments offer advantages, there are usually risks involved. However, the sooner you begin treating the disease, the more likely that you can prevent or delay its onset and progression.
Medication
Drug therapy is a standard treatment for Alzheimer's disease that involves the use of medications, which regulate chemicals in the brain, enhancing nerve cell response to acetylcholine. Medication can help improve symptoms of the disease, prevent them from getting any worse or cause symptoms to progress more slowly than they would without treatment. Slowing progress allows an individual to continue performing some basic activities of daily living for himself, thereby improving quality of life. Taking medication may also delay the need for going to a nursing home. The earlier drug therapy is started the better. One problem with medication, though, is that as the disease progresses, the drugs begin to lose their effectiveness. Both memantine and cholinesterase inhibitors can also cause side effects including nausea, vomiting, sleeplessness or stomach problems. Another risk is that these drugs can act adversely with other medications. Antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs are sometimes prescribed along with the FDA-approved drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's. These drugs are used to treat irritability, hostility, aggression and other behavioral symptoms that can eventually accompany the disease.
Dietary Supplements
Some doctors prescribe vitamin E to Alzheimer's patients to delay progression of the disease. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps protect nerve cells. On the negative side, high doses of vitamin E can interact with other medications, particularly those needed to keep blood from clotting. Another concern is that manufacturers of dietary supplements are not required by the FDA to provide evidence attesting to the safety and effectiveness of the supplement. Omega-3 fatty acids also have been associated with reducing the risk of dementia and cognitive decline. Although preliminary evidence suggests that taking omega-3 supplements may have a positive effect for slowing mental decline, the data is based only on small clinical trials; therefore, more research is needed. A larger, 18-month study funded by the National Institute on Aging proved to be inconclusive, as it failed to reach statistical significance as related to the supplement's value in the treatment or prevention of Alzheimer's disease.
Hormone Replacement Therapy
While there was previous speculation that hormone replacement therapy might prevent Alzheimer's disease in women age 65 and older, more recent research suggests that HRT might actually put older women at risk for the disease. This has lead some researchers to suggest that hormone therapy should begin when a woman is in her 50s in order to be effective. Another theory being considered is that men who have low testosterone levels might be at increased risk of Alzheimer's. While there has been thought given to prescribing testosterone supplements to men with Alzheimer's or at high risk for disease, according to doctors at the Mayo Clinic, studies to date have offered unclear results as to the effectiveness of testosterone therapy.
