Morris J C
Department of Neurology and Pathology (Neuropathology), Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, USA.
Geriatrics. 1997 Sep;52 Suppl 2:S22-5.
As the population of the United States ages, the prevalence of dementia is increasing. Among dementing illnesses, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is by far the most common and increasingly can be diagnosed accurately by informant-based clinical methods alone. Symptomatic therapies are now available for the treatment of the cognitive symptoms of AD, and more drugs are in development. Noncognitive aspects of dementia include behavioral complications, safety and security issues, advance directives, and caregiver burden. These should be addressed and appropriately managed by physicians. An expanded role for primary care physicians is anticipated for the assessment and management of AD.
随着美国人口老龄化，痴呆症的患病率正在上升。在痴呆性疾病中，阿尔茨海默病（AD）是迄今为止最常见的，而且仅通过基于知情人的临床方法就越来越能够准确诊断。目前有对症疗法可用于治疗AD的认知症状，并且更多药物正在研发中。痴呆症的非认知方面包括行为并发症、安全保障问题、预先指示和照料者负担。医生应该对这些问题加以解决并进行适当管理。预计初级保健医生在AD的评估和管理中将发挥更大的作用。
