PETALING JAYA: If you are above 65 years old and often forget what you had for breakfast, you and the family may laugh away the matter.
But when your forgetfulness worsens to a situation where you are holding the car keys and wondering what to do with them, it is no more a laughing matter.
You may be one of 50,000 Malaysians with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).
This is, however, not a death sentence as AD is treatable.
Kuala Lumpur Hospital geriatrician Dr Lee Fatt Soon said the earlier the problem was detected, the better the chances of managing it.
He said those who contracted AD would not die of the disease but of other risk factors like diabetes or high-blood pressure.
“As you undergo degeneration of the brain, you can’t take care of yourself. Some people have problems swallowing, some people fall and hurt themselves badly,” he told a seminar in conjunction with World Alzheimer’s Day.
The seminar was organised by the Alzheimer’s Disease Foundation Malaysia (ADFM) and Novartis Corporation Malaysia.
Senior lecturer in Geriatric Medicine at the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre, Dr Chin Ai-Vryn, said AD was a progressive disease with patients living up to five to 12 years after diagnosis.
“When a patient or his family starts to worry about his memory loss, seek help immediately.”
Patients diagnosed early can still perform normal tasks and be reasonably independent.
“People who smoke, do not exercise, have a poor diet or high- blood pressure or diabetes are more prone to contracting AD in their later years,” he said.
ADFM chairman Datuk Dr Yim Khai Kee said World Alzheimer’s Day 2008, with the theme “No time to lose!”, was a platform to gain recognition and support for patients.
(c) 2008 New Straits Times. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.
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