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Wednesday, November, 11, 2009
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Why Cant' We All Agree on a Diagnosis?

David Roeltgen, MD
David Roeltgen, MD
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Neurologist, Professor

A neurologist for over 20 years, Dr. Roeltgen's passions include...

David Roeltgen, MD

Wednesday, October 08, 2008
View All of David Roeltgen, MD's Posts
I would like to revisit three topics that I covered previously: the issue of depressive “pseudo-dementia,” the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment and the fact that health care professionals do not always agree on a diagnosis.         Each week I take pa...
  1. Why We Can't All Agree On A Diagnosis?
    Sharon
    Thursday, October 09, 2008 at 12:24 PM

    I think those who are in the "field" of diagnosing "Alzheimer's" and other "dementias" need to START by looking more indepth or RESEARCHING more indepth into what "medications" the patient may already be on, before "prescribing" more drugs.  It's a KNOWN fact that "heart patients" are typically more prone to dementias and/or Alzheimer's disease!  DUH!  What is Alzheimers?  Is it not the "evidence of beta plaques" in the brain?  All right, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to go over a list of a cardiac patient's medicines and figure out what "medication" he/she most likely to be on for "cardiovascular" problems, does it?  BETA BLOCKERS!  Now you put beta blockers into a body's system and is supposed to block the beta cells or the beta cells function, is it not?  Well, it may be a very primary life saving or arrhythmia changing drug.  But suppose more research into the "onset" of the "demented" behavior shows an insidous onset after the "beta blockers" was instituted!  Some patients will only show a very "slow" onset of these dementia behaviors, whereas others will show a very vivid onset!

    I know, I've been there.  I'm a medical professional and I know the "hell" beta blockers played on my mentality!  I honestly "reminded" myself of the "Alzheimer" patients that I'd taken care of in my routine professional positions!  But I was "powerless" to help myself and worst of all, I was "UNABLE" to tell anyone what I actually had "cognitive" powers of!  It's hell to have the "cognitive" powers within one's brain and then not be able to "tell" or "show" others that you had that ability.  And in the meantime, they "ruled" or "diagnosed" you as being "cognitive" impaired!  That's the worse hell anyone can be put through! 

       That's also brings up the use of "beta blockers" for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome!  The prescription of Beta Blockers don't really "help" with the syndrome, they just "impair" the sufferer's ability to "relay" that syndrome in their behavior or thought processes!  That's all!

       Beta Blockers should only be used in the "short term" medical arena, they do great harm in the "long term" usuage!  I can almost guarantee it!

    Reply
  2. INTERESTING
    Nhoffman
    Friday, October 10, 2008 at 08:58 PM
    My Dad, the love of my life, also took Beta blockers. ( a long history of stroke , heart problems, etc) I agree with the other's person's comment...BE CAREFUL! I had a Dad that was becoming older,constantly physical, in a blink of an eye, dementia! In another blink, in capable of even feeding himself. If we are trying to figure out this dementia/ alzheimer deal, I am suggesting to first figure out the system of care. I personally, in more ways than one have seen how this care system works when you have patients that may be not capable of what is easiest for you. I mean those people that try to make everything run smoothly in a days time
    Reply
  3. depression
    clarke schacter
    Sunday, November 16, 2008 at 04:11 PM

    being a full time care person for my wife. I find that she is  generally in good humor. but fails in most areas ie vocabulary, cannot determine any item  other t han my on site direction to the item. sleeps well, eats reasonable other than long delays by playing withfood, / compulsive rearrangement each item.

    mostly, cannot function other than with my direction generally confused. but loves to sing or  humm to  our classical music that  is on . including the cd in our car.

    Reply
  4. depression is not always a factor with alzheimers as comment
    clarke schacter
    Sunday, November 16, 2008 at 04:15 PM

    being a full time care person for my wife. I find that she is  generally in good humor. but fails in most areas ie vocabulary, cannot determine any item  other t han my on site direction to the item. sleeps well, eats reasonable other than long delays by playing withfood, / compulsive rearrangement each item.

    mostly, cannot function other than with my direction generally confused. but loves to sing or  humm to  our classical music that  is on . including the cd in our car.

    Reply
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This video animation shows how beta amyloid plaques are created in Alzheimer's patients and how they affect the progress of the disease.

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