Local doctors warn elderly to be aware of Alzheimer's

JAKARTA (JP): Many believe that senility in the elderly is normal, but doctors warn it could be the first symptom of Alzheimer's disease.

In the United States, Alzheimer's is the fourth leading cause of death among the elderly after heart attack, stroke and cancer. There are four million patients with the disease in the U.S.

Although there are no formal statistics or in-depth research on the number of Alzheimer's patients in Indonesia, doctors are warning there will be an increase in the number of Alzheimer's cases in the coming years. This is in line with increased life expectancy among Indonesians.

There are more than 15 million elderly people, classified as those over 60 years of age, in Indonesia.

"Just this fact alone should increase our awareness of diseases related to old age or degenerative diseases," said Minister of Health Achmad Sujudi on Saturday during a ceremony marking the establishment of the Indonesian Alzheimer's Association (IAzA).

According to Achmad, due to medical advancements there will likely be a shift in the diseases afflicting the elderly, from infection-related diseases to degenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer's is classified as a degenerative disease marked by dementia, or the loss of intellectual functioning. It usually affects people aged 60 and above.

"But there are cases of a 50-year-old already showing symptoms of Alzheimer's," said Troeboes Poerwadi, a neurophysicist at Dr. Soetomo General Hospital in Surabaya, East Java.

The disease begins with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which is marked by forgetting names, forgetting information and increased anxiety.

After about eight years, MCI will develop into Alzheimer's. People with the disease forget the most simple things, like the names of their children, and have a declining ability to count and reason.

"But their appearance doesn't change. They look normal," Troeboes said.

Some Alzheimer's patients will also behave oddly and aggressively, such as refusing to wear clothes, biting and shouting.

According to Troeboes, there is no single cause of Alzheimer's. "Forty percent is genetic factors. But head trauma, depression, lack of education, lack of vitamin B12 and folic acid can also cause the disease."

The disease attacks the brain's functions, causing it to shrink and ultimately causing death.

"The treatment is more difficult than for stroke patients," Troeboes said.

It is important to detect the symptoms early because there are some medications that may help fight the disease.

"But the available medicines are not satisfying, so the best way is to prevent it," said Hasan Sjahrir, an IAzA member from Medan.

If you have any questions about Alzheimer's, you can reach IAzA by phone at (021) 873-0179. Or you can e-mail the association at alzheimer_aazi@yahoo.com or nasrun@indosat.net. id. (09)