Clarifying the course of care for patients with Alzheimer’s is the essential objective of the new recommendations of the High Authority for Health which has just updated its document concerning the “Diagnosis and management of Alzheimer’s disease”. Alzheimer’s and related diseases”, a document aimed at general practitioners and specialists.
This work, which had already been published in 2008, has therefore just been revised taking into account recent developments around disease management in the hope of a “better appropriation by professionals”.
Alzheimer’s disease: tests in general practitioners
Clearly, the High Authority for Health expects GPs to self-assess patients who have memory problems, andthey then ensure the follow-up of these patients, at 6 months and at 12 months. After a year of follow-up, if there is an alteration of the disorders, a general practitioner-specialist pair will carry out the tests and examinations necessary to truly make the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. And it is again the attending general practitioner who, after discussing with the patient and his entourage on the proper understanding of the diagnostic issues, will propose a plan of care and assistance.
Another key concept has been integrated into this new recommendation: the prescription and renewal of a drug treatment will be left to the discretion of the prescribing specialist.
A recent survey made public at the annual international conference of the Alzheimer’s Association Europe shows that Alzheimer’s disease ranks the second most dreaded disease, after cancer. This same survey also shows that few people are aware that Alzheimer’s disease cannot be diagnosed on a simple test, but only after a long process of eliminating all the diseases that could justify the symptoms of dementia. or memory loss.
