Conceptualizing Alzheimer's disease as a terminal medical illness.
Alzheimer's disease is a common illness of the elderly population, with an estimated prevalence of 4.5 million people in the United States and 24.3 million worldwide. Despite current pharmaceutic advances in delaying disease progression, there is no cure. This article reviews the evidence for conceptualizing Alzheimer's disease as a terminal medical illness. Discussed are principles of palliative care as applied to the patient with Alzheimer's disease and the patient's family.
Wolf-Klein
Gisele
G
Geriatric Medicine, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, 270-05 76th Ave, New Hyde Park, NY 11040, USA. gwolf@nshs.edu
Pekmezaris
Renee
R
Chin
Lisa
L
Weiner
Joseph
J
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States