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An Alzheimer’s Diagnosis in the Orlando, Florida Area

How do you obtain whether someone has Alzheimer’s Disease in the Orlando, Florida? Doctors and specialized centers can diagnose probable Alzheimer’s Disease correctly 80 to 90 percent of the time. They can find out whether there are plaques and tangles in the brain only by looking at a piece of brain tissue under a microscope. It can be painful and risky to remove brain tissue while a person is alive. Doctors cannot look at the tissue until they do an autopsy, which is an examination of the body done after a person dies. 

Doctors may say that a person has probable Alzheimer’s Disease. They will make this diagnosis by finding out more about the person’s symptoms. The following is some of the information the doctor may need to make a diagnosis:

1. A complete medical history. The doctor may ask about the person’s general health and past medical problems. He/she will want to know about any problems the person has carrying out daily activities. The doctor may want to speak with the person’s family or friends to get more information. 
2. Basic Medical Tests. Tests of blood and urine may be done to help the doctor eliminate other possible diseases. In some cases, testing a small amount of spinal fluid may also help. In addition, scientists are busy trying to develop a test to diagnose Alzheimer’s Disease that will be easy and accurate. 
3. Neuropsychological tests. There are tests of memory, problem-solving, attention, counting, and language. They will help the doctor pinpoint specific problems the person has. 
4. Brain scans.  The doctor may want to do a special test, called a brain scan. There are several types of brain scans, including a computerized tomography (CT) scan, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, or a positron emission tomography (PET) scan. By looking at the picture of the brain, the doctor will be able to tell if anything does not look normal. 

Information from the medical history and any test results help the doctor rule out other possible causes of the person’s symptoms. For example, thyroid gland problems, drug reactions, depression, brain tumors, and blood vessel disease in the brain can cause Alzheimer’s Disease symptoms. Some of these other conditions can be treated. Starting with mild memory problems and ending with severe mental damage, the course the disease takes and how fast changes occur vary from person to person. Some people only have the disease five (5) years, while others may have it for as many as twenty (20) years. 

What is the treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease? No treatment can stop the disease. However, for some people in the early and middle stages of the disease, there are drugs that may alleviate some cognitive symptoms. The doctor should discuss that with you. Also, some medications may help control behavioral symptoms of the disease such as sleeplessness, agitation, wandering, anxiety, and depression. Discuss all this with the doctor. Treating these symptoms often makes a person more comfortable and makes their care easier for caregivers. Scientists are testing new drugs. Ask the doctor about that too. 

If you have more questions regarding an Elder Law or Guardianship Law matter, you may call Ann Marie Giordano Gilden at Ann Marie Giordano Gilden, P.A. at 407-732-7620 and set an initial consultation. You may also visit my website at: https//:www.AnnMarieGildenLaw.com

This article is for informational purposes only; and it does not form an attorney client privilege.