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Potential Relief for Alzheimer’s Patients There is an ongoing debate about the effectiveness of the drugs used to treat Alzheimer’s disease. At this time, there are no drugs available that will cure or even stop the disease’s progression. However, available drugs can lessen symptoms. But should a particular patient be prescribed a drug? If so, when? For how long? Does the patient actually have Alzheimer’s or is the patient suffering from dementia? The problem is the inability to diagnose Alzheimer’s because there is no firm diagnosis until a patient is dead and an autopsy can be performed. Patients may be assumed to have the disease because of the symptoms they present. Some patients may actually have dementia rather than Alzheimer’s disease. There are two classes of drugs available at present to treat the Alzheimer’s: a glutamate regulator and cholinesterase inhibitors. The former blocks the death of brain cells and the latter improves symptoms, or possibly only reduces unwanted behaviors. The glutamate regulators are prescribed to patients in moderate to severe stages of Alzheimer’s, and cholinesterase inhibitors are given to patients in early to moderate stages. Both drugs have some side effects, though they are considered minor. Ironically, a potential side effect of the class of glutamate regulators is confusion.
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