State Baby Boomers Face ‘Escalating Epidemic’ With Alzheimer’s

By Jim Killackey, The Oklahoman

Jun. 17–Alzheimer’s disease now is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States and Oklahoma, and public health officials believe that ranking will go up.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 72,914 Americans died of Alzheimer’s disease in 2006. An estimated 1,010 Oklahomans died from Alzheimer’s in the same year, according to the state Health Department.

“These rankings are a harsh reality of what this disease can do in the future. There’s no cure … no way to stop it,” said Mark Fried, regional director for the Alzheimer’s Association of Central Oklahoma.

Fried said the disease is draining on caregivers because it normally lasts eight to 10 years.

“The personal and economic impact of Alzheimer’s is so large that no one entity can solve the problem alone,” said William Thies, national Alzheimer’s Association vice president of medical and scientific relations.

With Alzheimer’s expected to strike 10 million of the 78 million baby boomers coming of age, it is clear “this escalating epidemic must be addressed now,” Thies said.

Oklahoma has an estimated 70,000 Alzheimer’s patients, and the number is expected increase to 74,000 by 2010.

“It is a myth that Alzheimer’s disease is both a normal part of aging and just a memory-losing problem,” said Fried. “It’s a disease of the brain, and we need more research funds to find a treatment and a cure.”

Death rates decline in other diseases The CDC also reports that while deaths from Alzheimer’s disease are on the rise, deaths from other chronic conditions are on the decline.

Between 2005 and 2006, the largest national decline in death rates occurred for influenza and pneumonia; chronic lower-respiratory diseases; strokes; heart disease; diabetes; hypertension; chronic liver disease and cancer.

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Copyright (c) 2008, The Oklahoman

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