Alzheimer's disease, dementia cases are expected to double by 2060

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Police blocked roads after an unidentified attacker opened fire on a warehouse on September 20, 2018 in Aberdeen, Maryland, killing several people and injuring several people, authorities said.

According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of people with Alzheimer's disease or dementia in the United States is expected to double by 2060.

In 2014, there were 5 million people in the United States with Alzheimer's disease or dementia. The CDC estimates that by 2060 this number will rise to 13.9 million.

"Early diagnosis is essential to help people and their families cope with memory loss, navigate the health system and plan their care in the future," said Dr. Robert R. Redfield , director of the CDC.

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The study, which, according to the CDC, is the first to predict Alzheimer's disease estimates by race and ethnicity, revealed that non-Hispanic whites would present the greatest number of people. of Alzheimer's and dementia cases. However, due to population growth, Americans of Hispanic origin will see the largest projected increase in cases.

Among those aged 65 and over, African-Americans have the highest prevalence of Alzheimer's and dementia at 13.8%, followed by Hispanics (12.2%) and non-Hispanic whites (10%). , 3%).

By 2060, researchers are projecting 3.2 million Hispanics and 2.2 million African Americans will have Alzheimer's disease or dementia. The CDC said that the more people who survive other diseases and get older, the higher the risk of dementia.

The study was published Thursday in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association.

Kevin Matthews, a health geographer and senior author of the CDC's Population Health Division study of the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, said that early diagnosis is essential not only for patients, but also for caregivers.

"It is important for people who think that their daily lives are affected by memory loss to discuss these issues with a health care provider," he said.