What is alzheimer’s disease?

4 May 2021

It is the degenerative neurological pathology with the highest incidence in the world, which normally affects individuals over 60 years old. Brain atrophy and shrinkage occurs causing the progressive death of neurons, being a type of dementia that damages the ability to reason and memory of those who suffer from it, altering their behavior and their ability to socialize, thus being a disabling disease.

Its origin is unknown, but it is believed to be due to several factors, involving genetic, environmental, and unhealthy lifestyle issues.

Signs and symptoms Alzheimer’s disease

The first symptom is not remembering names, situations, or conversations, but as the deterioration progresses, memory is seriously affected and other signs such as difficulty thinking begin to appear.

The damage caused by Alzheimer’s disease increases in intensity over time, generating increasingly severe symptoms, which include drastic behavioral and personality changes such as:

Depression.
Antisocial behavior.
Dijection.
Bipolarity.
Paranoia.
Insomnia.
Anger.
Aggressiveness.
Lack of control.

Diagnosis and treatment Alzheimer’s disease

To diagnose it, it will be necessary for the patient to be accompanied by a family member who helps explain the symptoms to the doctor, who will perform a physical examination and a series of tests of its ability to reason and memory. They will also order laboratory and imaging tests, such as MRI and CT scans.

As it is not a curable disease, the treatment focuses on counteracting the symptoms and delaying cognitive deterioration through neurological medications, which are usually combined with antidepressants and anxiolytics to mitigate the effects of the behavioral change typical of these patients.

At the Neurological Center, a select group of highly professional and certified doctors in the various neurological specialties are ready to assist you with the quality and warmth that characterizes us.

Our mission is to provide you with comprehensive and multidisciplinary care programs for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of nervous system diseases, always focusing our activities on your safety.

Nervous system specialties

Neurology
Neurosurgery
Spine surgery
Pediatric neurosurgery
Neurophysiology
Neuro-rehabilitation
Neuro-pathology
Interventional neuro-radiology
Neuropsychology
Neuro-oncology
Neuro-otology
Epilepsy
Neuro-ophthalmology
Neuroimaging

Related centers and departments Alzheimer’s disease

Neurology Center
High Specialty Surgery Center
Radiology and Molecular Imaging
Clinical Laboratory

Fuentes:

mayoclinic.org
alz.org
medlineplus.gov
cun.es
topdoctors.es
msdmanuals.com
medigraphic.com
Hernández-Contreras KA, Martínez-Díaz JA, Hernández-Aguilar ME, et al. Mecanismos de asociación entre Enfermedad de Alzheimer y Diabetes Mellitus: La paradoja de la insulina. Arch Neurocien. 2020;25(4):45-54.
Garzón PM, Pascual CY, Collazo LEC, et al. Severidad de los síntomas psicológicos y conductuales en pacientes con enfermedad de Alzheimer. Geroinfo. 2019;14(1):1-10.
Castro-Álvarez JF, Cardona-Gómez GP. Nuevas aproximaciones para la comprensión de la enfermedad de Alzheimer. Medicina & Laboratorio. 2014;20(07-08):337-355.
Espín FJC. Factores de riesgo asociados a pacientes con enfermedad de Alzheimer y sus cuidadores principales. Rev Cubana Med Gen Integr. 2020;36(1):1-18.

How can we help you?

The dissemination of the content of this material is for informational purposes only and does not replace, under any circumstance or condition, a consultation with a specialist doctor, for which the ABC Medical Center is not responsible for the different use that may be given to it. If you require more information related to the subject, we suggest you contact the specialist doctor you trust directly.

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Comparison of COVID-19 vaccines

Pfizer-
BioNTech

Pfizer-BioNTech

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vaccine type: mRNA
Effectiveness: 95% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

No Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 21 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

Who should or shouldn’t get the vaccine?
People who should receive the vaccine are those over 16 years old.
People who should not receive the vaccine are those who have a history of anaphylactic shock (severe allergy) or who are allergic to any component of this vaccine such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) or polysorbate.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever, nausea, malaise, and swollen lymph nodes.

How long will it take for me to be protected and what does it protect me from?
After 14 days of having the complete scheme (after the administration of the 2nd dose), the protection period is still under study. It protects us from serious COVID-19 or requiring hospitalization.

Moderna

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vaccine type: mRNA
Effectiveness: 94.5% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 28 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

Who should or shouldn’t get the vaccine?
People who should receive the vaccine are those over 18 years old.
People who should not receive the vaccine are those who have a history of anaphylactic shock (severe allergy) or who are allergic to any component of this vaccine.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever, nausea, and swollen lymph nodes in the arm in which you received the injection.

Janssen/
Johnson
& Johnson

Janssen/ Johnson & Johnson

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 72.0% in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.
85% in the prevention of severe COVID-19.

Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives./strong>

How many doses are needed?
Only one dose in needed.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, headache, fatigue, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea.

How long will it take for me to be protected and what does it protect me from?
After 28 days of having the complete scheme (the last dose applied), the protection period is still under study. It protects us from 85% serious COVID-19 or requiring hospitalization.

AstraZeneca
and
Oxford
University

AstraZeneca and Oxford University

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Adenovirus vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 82% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 56 days apart (or up to 84 days apart, if necessary).

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, myalgia, arthralgia, and fever, which were mild to moderate in intensity and disappeared within 48 hours of vaccination.

Sputnik V

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Adenovirus vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 92% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 21 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

What is alzheimer’s disease?

Signs and symptoms Alzheimer’s disease

Diagnosis and treatment Alzheimer’s disease

Related centers and departments Alzheimer’s disease

Fuentes:

Index

Specialist in Alzheimer’s disease