Deaths from dementia doubled in the United States, report says

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The term dementia encompasses conditions that impair memory and cause a decline in cognitive function. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these conditions appear to affect more of the population, since it is expected to affect 14 million people aged 65 and over by 2060.

Dr. Ellen Kramarow, lead author of the new report and health statistician at the Aging and Chronic Disease Statistics Branch of the National Center for Health Statistics (CDC), explained that one of the causes of the number Increasing number of deaths from dementia in Canada The United States is probably due to the aging of the population. "If people live longer, they do not die of other causes, so they live to the point where the risk of dementia is higher," she said.

Researchers used death certificate data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. They examined four types of dementia recognized by the International Classification of Diseases: Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, unspecified dementia, and other degenerative diseases of the nervous system. The authors adjusted according to age, which allowed them to compare people of different ages.

Alzheimer's disease is responsible for 46% of the 261,914 deaths due to dementia in the United States in 2017. This finding confirms the need for further research on Alzheimer's disease, said Kramarow.

Although the cause of Alzheimer's disease is not fully understood, researchers are better understanding how it affects the brain. The disease destroys neurons, cells responsible for communication throughout the brain.

Dr. Chad Hales, an assistant professor in the Department of Neurology at Emory University School of Medicine, explained that the diagnosis of dementia begins with a good clinical history, examinations, brain imaging, and laboratory studies in order to avoid any other condition. cause the symptoms.

Unfortunately, "the current gold standard is post mortem diagnosis with neuropathological confirmation," he said. Alzheimer's disease can be definitively diagnosed after the death of a patient by examining under the microscope parts of the brain that can reveal the presence of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, structures peculiar to this disease in the brain.
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As with any disease, progression varies. "Alzheimer's disease causes degeneration of brain cells, which causes the outward symptoms that you observe day-to-day," said Hales. "This includes short-term memory problems and speech and executive dysfunction problems, such as mobile phone management, medications, and finances." Patients may also experience depression or other neuropsychiatric symptoms like delusions or hallucinations. "

As the disease progresses, symptoms usually become more apparent. According to the National Institute of Aging, it begins with the brain parts responsible for memory, such as the hippocampus, and then heads to the cerebral cortex, responsible for critical thinking and information perception. The symptoms of Alzheimer's disease usually appear in patients aged about 60 years and often manifest for the first time as a memory loss.

"Age is the most important risk factor," said Hales, noting that the older people get, the more likely they are to develop dementia.

According to the report, death rates associated with dementia more than doubled among those aged 85 to 89, compared to 90 to 94 years. In 2017, 60.4% of deaths from dementia reflected the population in long-term care facilities, nursing homes or palliative care centers designed for end-of-life care.

The authors note that death certificate data are not exhaustive. "The only information we have is what is written on the death certificate, which has nothing to do with the medical record of the person, they could have other ailments. not know it, "said Kramarow.

This report points out that while Alzheimer's disease contributes to many deaths in the United States, do not forget about other types of dementia..

Regardless of the form, said Hales, "the most important thing to recognize is that you are not alone.There are so many people affected by this disorder, but sometimes, patients and families feel isolated. We need to overcome the problem of stigmatization of this disease and recognize that others may be able to help or give insight into the disease and the symptoms it causes. "

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