Alzheimer\'s

14 Pages 3614 Words

-accepted specific test to identify Alzheimer’s Disease during a patient’s lifetime. Therefore, doctors can diagnose Alzheimer’s Disease only after they have ruled out all other possible causes of dementia. No one test can determine whether Alzheimer’s actually exists, which is also the reason why a physician must administer an exhausting battery of tests before making an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. A detailed patient and family history will be taken; a physical exam will be conducted; mental status test will be administered; neurological exam will be completed; laboratory tests will be performed; and an extensive psychiatric exam conducted before a diagnosis can be made. Some doctors may order brain scans to rule out strokes or tumors that could be causing symptoms of dementia. Memory and task-related tests used to diagnose Alzheimer’s Disease measure the level of impairment or stage of the disease. Alzheimer’s Disease is usually characterized as mild, moderate, or severe, depending upon the severity of symptoms (Weddington, 1994, p. ...