McFadden1

Madeleine McFadden

Professor Rebecca Morean

ENG.1201.533

24 March 2020

Literature Review

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a degenerative disease that affects millions of patients every year.

There currently is no cure for the disease but there are many things that can be done to try and treat the

symptoms and slow down the progression. New research is done and new information is given about

the disease and how to treat it every year in the search for the cure. Every person has a different idea

about the best way to care for an Alzheimer’s patient, so what is the best way to care for them?

Studies have shown that certain pre-existing conditions have connections to development of

Alzheimer’s Disease later in life. Vascular conditions, such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and

obesity increase a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease (Liao et al). Patients with major

depression have a higher likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s (Liao et al). There is also a risk factor

for AD and other dementias linked to hearing loss (Liao et al).

There has been much research regarding treatment and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease with

medications. Cholinesterase inhibitors are used as the primary medications to treat mild to moderate

cases of Alzheimer’s Disease (“Alzheimer’s Disease”). Combination therapy of statins, such as

pravastatin and rosuvastatin, and anti-hypertensive medications have shown risk reduction for

Alzheimer’s and other dementias (Barthold et al).

Diet and nutrition are essential parts of caring for someone with AD. Many patients begin to

resist food, leading to malnutrition (Keser), so giving them the correct food is crucial. Malnutrition can

lead to greater mental impairments and deficits for patients with AD (Keser). Diets high in fat, sugar,
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and fried foods can increase a person’s risk for developing AD (“Alzheimer’s Disease”). Studies have

shown that people with diets high in fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and nuts have slower rates of

cognitive decline (“Alzheimer’s Disease”). Many doctors recommend the MIND diet, combining the

Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet, which is used to help with prevention of hypertension

(“Alzheimer’s Disease”).

Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease require a lot of care and the costs of that care can add up. In-

home care costs an average of $4,385 per month for full time care and a room in a nursing facility

ranges from $7,513 and $8,517 per month (“Cost of Long Term Care by State). Both options for care

have benefits for the patient; in-home care offers personalized one-on-one care and nursing facilities

provide skilled nursing care and options for physical, occupational, and speech therapy (Hoyt).

There are many things that can be done to try and reduce a person’s risk for developing

Alzheimer’s Disease later in their lives and to support and treat those who already have it. The most

important factors involved in reducing AD risk are diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management

(Schelke et al). While there is no cure for the disease, there are many things that can be done in order to

slow the progression and treat the symptoms, all in the hopes of increasing the patient’s quality of life.
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Works Cited

"Alzheimer's Disease."Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2019. Gale In Context:

Opposing Viewpoints, https://link-gale-

com.sinclair.ohionet.org/apps/doc/PC3010999265/OVIC? u=dayt30401&sid=OVIC&xid=31dde1e3.

Accessed 17 Mar. 2020.

Barthold, Douglas, et al. "Association of combination statin and antihypertensive therapy with reduced

Alzheimer's disease and related dementia risk." PLoS ONE, vol. 15, no. 3, 2020, p.

e0229541. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, https://link-gale-

com.sinclair.ohionet.org/apps/ doc/A616258541/OVIC?

u=dayt30401&sid=OVIC&xid=fd20cb61. Accessed 17 Mar. 2020.

“Cost of Long Term Care by State: 2019 Cost of Care Report.”Genworth, 2019,

www.genworth.com/aging-and-you/finances/cost-of-care.html.

Hoyt, Jeff. “Nursing Home Costs in 2020 by State and Type of Care.”SeniorLiving.org, 22 June 2019,

www.seniorliving.org/nursing-homes/costs/.

Keser, Alev, and Filiz Yildirim. “Chapter 3: Evaluation of the Relationship between Nutritional Status

and Quality of Life among Nursing Home Residents with Alzheimer's Disease.” Improving the

Quality of Life for Dementia Patients through Progressive Detection, Treatment, and Care, IGI

Global, Medical Information Science Reference (an Imprint of IGI Global), 2017, pp. 42–73.

Liao, Jung-Yu, et al. "Exploring prior diseases associated with incident late-onset Alzheimer's disease

dementia."PLoS ONE, vol. 15, no. 1, 2020, p. e0228172.Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

https://link-gale-com.sinclair.ohionet.org/apps/doc/A612164012/OVIC?

u=dayt30401&sid=OVIC&xid=81c89522. Accessed 19 Mar. 2020.

Schelke, Matthew W., et al. “Mechanisms of Risk Reduction in the Clinical Practice of Alzheimer’s
Disease Prevention.”Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, vol. 10, 10 Apr. 2018,
doi:10.3389/fnagi.2018.00096. Accessed 23 Mar. 2020.