The FDA (Federal Drug Administration) has approved the use of the first drug that can change the history of Alzheimer’s disease. In other words, the first drug that can slow the clinical progression of patients with this disease has been approved in the United States.
This is great news and implies an important transcendence, since today we only have treatments that improved some symptoms in a transitory way, but did not act or prevent the progression of the disease.
However, it should be mentioned that this treatment has to be administered in the prodromal phase of the disease, i.e. when the patient is totally independent and his symptoms are mild. In addition, this approval has raised some controversy, receiving significant criticism from some organizations.
Five arguments to end the stigma of Alzheimer’s disease
However, this is news that gives us a glimpse of a cure for a very cruel disease, and I think it is advisable to defend several arguments for early diagnosis of this disease.
- Patients ask for it: although we often forget it, it is the patient who is most concerned about his or her situation, and in the early stages they seek answers to their symptoms. As the years go by and the disease progresses, the patient becomes dependent, and awareness of his or her disease diminishes. Our job as physicians is to answer all the patient’s questions and help them discover their symptoms while they are fully aware of what is going on.
- Empower the patient. In many cases, it is the family itself who hides the diagnosis of the disease from the patient in order to protect him/her, although this is not advisable. The greatest fear is the fear of the unknown, and the diagnosis puts an end to the questions and the search for answers. Knowing the cause of the symptoms empowers the patient and gives him the option to decide about his future while retaining all his mental faculties.
- Prevention is better than cure. An early diagnosis allows the neurologist to take secondary prevention measures that have been shown to be effective in cognitive impairment. These measures include complete control of vascular risk factors, a cognitive stimulation plan… Late diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease is often dramatic, and in the dementia phase the patient tends to deny the symptoms, and has an irritable and distrustful attitude. An early diagnosis helps their environment to prepare, and make a plan of action available for possible needs according to the will of the patient when he/she was in his/her full faculties.
- We can no longer deny the evidence. Alzheimer’s is the leading cause of neurodegenerative dementia in the world and is a major health problem. Some 40 million people have dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease, and it is estimated that these numbers will increase in the coming years due to the progressive aging of the population. Thus, the prevalence of dementia associated with Alzheimer’s is expected to double in the next two decades. However, Alzheimer’s disease is often ignored as a cause of death when death certificates are drawn up. Because you can’t cure something you can’t even point to. To cure Alzheimer’s disease, we must first diagnose it and then raise awareness throughout society.
- The cure for Alzheimer’s begins with its diagnosis. The new options are quite promising, and the new drug mentioned above can only be used if there is a diagnosis of the disease during its initial phase. In turn, to make a correct diagnosis it is important to perform a clinical evaluation with specific biomarkers. Among the new treatments, we can highlight Aducanumab, which are antibodies that are administered once a month and have the capacity to eliminate amyloid protein deposits, a fundamental requirement for the development of this disease. However, caution must be maintained. For the moment, the drug has not been approved in Europe, although it has already been requested from the European Medicines Agency, which should issue its decision soon. Furthermore, it should be made clear that this is not a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but a drug that slows down the progression of its signs. Finally, it should be said that other drugs with similar characteristics (ganteneumab and lecanemab) are in phase three studies to be completed in 2023 and 2024.
For more information on Alzheimer’s disease, please contact a Neurology specialist.