Alzheimer’s Disease

The Seven Warning Signs of Alzheimer's Disease

The purpose of this list is to alert the public to the early warning signs of one of the most devastating disorders affecting older people — Alzheimer's disease. If someone has several or even most of these symptoms, it does not mean they definitely have the disease. It does mean they should be thoroughly examined by a medical specialist trained in evaluating memory disorders, such as a neurologist or a psychiatrist, or by a comprehensive memory disorder clinic, with an entire team of expert knowledge about memory problems.

What are the Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD)?

AD begins slowly. Recent research has also indicated that a significant number of people may not show any symptoms prior to their death from other causes.

For those who do have symptoms, the initial symptoms may be only a mild forgetfulness. This symptom scares many people who have normal forgetfulness of aging, as they fear they are developing Alzheimer’s. In the early stage of AD, people may have trouble remembering recent events, activities, or the names of familiar people or things. They may not be able to solve simple math problems. Such difficulties may be a bother, but usually they are not serious enough to cause alarm.

On July 19th 2006, President Bush issued the first veto of his five-year-old administration, rejecting Congress' attempt to lift funding restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research.

Even though both the Republican-controlled House and Senate passed the stem-cell legislation by comfortable margins, they did not have the two-thirds majority required to override the veto.

Side Effects and Warnings
Most people taking niacin experience skin flushing and a warm sensation, especially of the face, neck and ears, when they begin treatment or increase dose. This reaction is usually mild, but has been intolerable enough to cause up to half of participants in studies to stop therapy. Dry skin and itching is also commonly experienced. Taking aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®), naproxen (Naprosyn®), or indomethacin (Indocin®) can reduce the flushing. Use of an antihistamine 15 minutes prior to a niacin dose may also be helpful. Slow-release niacin products may have less skin flushing than regular release niacin preparations or may simply delay the appearance of flushing. The flushing response often decreases on its own after 1 to 2 weeks of therapy. Mild stomach upset, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea also may occur when beginning niacin therapy, and usually resolve with continued use.