title: Clinical inquiries. Do patients at high risk of Alzheimer's disease benefit from early treatment?
abstract: Yes, but the extent of the benefit is unclear. Treating patients with early-stage Alzheimer's disease yields statistically significant, though perhaps not clinically significant, improvement in cognition and global function. In a few cases, it may delay loss of function and need for long-term care. Treating patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI)-the most likely precursor to Alzheimer's disease-with cholinesterase inhibitors seems to have an initial, but perhaps unsustained, benefit over no treatment. Withdrawing anticholinergic drugs from patients taking them promises to reduce symptoms of MCI, but is unlikely to reduce rates of Alzheimer's.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine, Eastern Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Holt
authors.forename: Lynetta
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stiltner
authors.forename: Rick
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.forename: Jaqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Raetz
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors