Synthesis of research findings regarding assessment/diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease--Part I.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is predicted to strike 14 million Americans by 2050. To date, the only accurate way to diagnose this devastating disease is at autopsy, so the importance of ruling out other diseases and instituting a plan of care for early symptoms is vital. The purpose of this review is to synthesize the knowledge about the assessment and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease so clinicians can understand what is needed to differentiate AD from other diseases/conditions.
Bower
Fay L
FL
Department of Nursing Holy Names College, Holy Names College, 1457 Indianhead Circle, Clayton, CA 94517, USA. fbower1@sbcglobal.net
McCullough
Cyndi S
CS
Pille
Barbara L
BL
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012107:Research Design; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index