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SALT LAKE CITY – For the first time, the country's leading group of brain specialists recommends that all people aged 65 and over undergo a memory assessment every year.
"Until now, it was common for doctors to ignore memory problems, or at least not to look for memory problems. And many doctors felt they should not look for such problems and did not know what to do when they found them, "said Dr. Norman Foster, professor in the Department of Neurology and principal investigator of the Brain Institute at the University of Ottawa. University of Utah.
The Utah physician, also a member of the American Academy of Neurology, drafted the organization's new directive published last week.
According to the academy, nearly 7% of people under the age of 60 in the world suffer from mild cognitive impairment, while this disease affects 38% of people aged 85 and over.
Foster said the Utah Department of Health had also launched an awareness campaign aimed at encouraging people over the age of 65 to ask their doctor for an annual memory check.
The campaign began in March, said Kristy Russell, Resource Specialist for the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Program for the Utah Department of Health. Campaign information and resources are available on the department's website, at agewell.health.utah.gov.
Russell has also encouraged people under 65 with medical problems to undergo a memory assessment, as severe memory illnesses can also be diagnosed at an earlier age.
In the past, it was common for doctors to "use their instincts to decide if a person had memory and thinking problems," Foster said.
However, the guideline recommends that they "exceed these goals" by using a standard three-minute test to determine if a person has a problem that causes memory loss.
The standard test used in Utah asks people to repeat three words and then remember them, draw a clock, put the numbers and hands on the clock indicating the number of words. time requested by the doctor and then repeat the three words, Foster said.
The Alzheimer's Association praised the guideline in a statement Wednesday as "an important step in improving outcomes for patients, while inviting important discussions on cognitive issues, that seniors might not share otherwise. "
The association discovered in a report this year that despite a "widespread awareness" of the benefits of early detection, only 1 in 7 seniors report being subjected to regular memory assessments.
The American Academy of Neurology guideline tells neurologists and other health professionals what to do if they experience memory problems in their patients. As part of the assessment, doctors can use to identify conditions such as depression, side effects of drugs or serious illnesses such as stroke or brain tumors, Foster said. .
Assessment can help doctors determine if an underlying condition is causing a patient's memory loss or is part of the normal aging process. Even sleep disorders and mood problems can affect memory and thinking.
According to Foster, other problems such as hearing loss and visual impairment can contribute to memory problems. If these conditions are excluded and a patient has the first signs of a more serious brain disorder such as Alzheimer's, he can know when to involve his family and plan his future. And the doctor can work to improve their quality of life.
For these doctors, "there is a lot to be done to improve their patients and improve the quality of their care," Foster said. Some options include drugs and participation in research, he said.
According to Foster, the recommendation means that the health community overcomes "an ubiquitous nihilism about memory problems and the possibility of doing something to solve them or knowing what causes them".
"And that has changed dramatically over the last ten years because we now recognize that we can identify the cause of important memory problems, or ways to determine if a person is suffering from Alzheimer's disease with tests diagnosis, for example, "he said.
Doctors are increasingly recognizing that medications often cause memory problems that are confused with the symptoms of Alzheimer's, Foster said.
While treating diseases such as brain diseases, tumors, stroke, and multiple sclerosis is a priority for neurologists, Foster said, "This guideline is the growing recognition that diagnosis and early interventions are much more effective. So, I think things have changed and we now know that one of our priorities as physicians is to identify and treat memory problems at an early stage. "
To reduce the risk of memory loss, Foster said, people should stay physically and socially active; make sure their blood pressure is "well controlled" by eating well; prevent or control diabetes; and stay up to date on new treatments and research related to memory issues.
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