Alzheimer's: Prevention Through Delay

Contributed by: Dennis Fortier, President, Medical Care Corporation
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It is true that we cannot yet cure Alzheimer's but, somehow, this reality has come to seem more dire than it really should seem. After all, there is no cure for diabetes nor for hypertension and we have no problem with the approach of detecting these diseases early and managing them. I understand that Alzheimer's is more devastating relative to the other examples but the sense of nihilism is still out of proportion.

For those of you seeking a comprehensive overview of our current knowledge about AD, I recommend this recently updated report from the National Institute on Aging. It concisely describes the scientific landscape in terms of the pathology of AD, risk factors (including how to manage them), and treatment strategies (both current and in the pipeline).

The title of the report is Can Alzheimer's be Prevented? There is growing evidence for the case that, for may of us, it can probably be delayed until we are likely to die from some other malady. We call this concept "Prevention through Delay".

One day we will have a cure but for now, prevention through delay offers a realistic approach to reducing the tragic impact of this poorly understood disease.