MY POST TODAY IS MOSTLY ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE SCIENTIFIC AND POLITICAL REALM TO GET A BETTER HANDLE ON THE STARTING POINT OF THIS DISEASE (ALZHEIMER'S, AND DEMENTIA). CONGRESS HAS INTRODUCED A BILL THIS MONTH THAT WOULD CREATE SPECIFIC MEDICARE COST CODES FOR ALZHEIMER'S DIAGNOSIS, INCLUDING STEPS INVOLVING DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE PATIENTS DOCTOR AND THE CAREGIVERS. EARLY DIAGNOSIS IS REALLY THE KEY TO THIS. OFTENTIMES FAMILY MEMBERS NOTICE THE SYMPTOMS IN THEIR LOVED ONES, BUT IT TAKES YEARS SOMETIMES BEFORE THEY GET DIAGNOSED BY THEIR DOCTORS, OR UNDERSTAND WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE.
THE MOST STRIKING ADDITION TO THE GUIDELINES CONCERNS METHODS THAT ASSESS BRAIN CHANGES INVOLVED WITH ALZHEIMER'S, INCLUDING BRAIN SCANS AND TEST OF CEREBRAL SPINAL FLUID. SUCH METHODS MEASURE WHAT ARE CALLED BIOMARKERS, PHYSIOLOGICAL INDICATORS THAT SOMEONE IS LIKELY TO DEVELOP DEMENTIA EVENTUALLY, JUST AS CHOLESTEROL AND BLOOD PRESSURE ARE BIOMARKERS OF IMPENDING HEART DISEASE.
THEY ARE SAYING THAT FOR NOW, THE GUIDELINES SPECIFY THAT ALZHEIMER'S BIOMARKERS-INCLUDING ABNORMAL LEVELS OF THE PROTEINS AMYLOID AND TAU, AND SHRINKAGE OF CERTAIN BRAIN AREAS-SHOULD NOT BE USED WIDESPREAD, BUT RATHER ONLY WITH PATIENTS ENROLLED IN CLINICAL TRIALS.
THIS IS NOW ME TALKING AGAIN. THAT IS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY I AM ALWAYS SEARCHING OUT NEW CLINICAL TRIALS FOR ALZHEIMER'S. THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE LATEST INFORMATION AND UPCOMING DRUGS TO TREAT THIS TERRIBLE DISEASE. SO FAR NONE OF THE CLINICAL TRIALS MIKE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN HAVE PROVEN HELPFUL, BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE DO NOT REMAIN HOPEFUL. WE BELIEVE THAT SOON THERE WILL BE A DRUG THAT WILL HALT THE PROGRESSION OF BOTH ALZHEIMER'S AND DEMENTIA, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FIRST IN LINE FOR THAT CLINICAL TRIAL!!! THANKS FOR READING-HOPE SOME OF THIS INFORMATION WAS HELPFUL-TILL TOMORROW-JUST ME
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