Category Archives: Alzheimer’s

Warning for those with dementia about anticholinergics

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Like Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), those with many other types of dementia have an imbalance of acetylcholine in the brain.  Anticholinergic drugs can be problematic for those with AD and non-AD dementias.

I saw this Q&A recently in my Dad’s AARP Health Care Options newsletter called fyi.

Robin

——————————–

Ask Dr. Reed ([email protected])
AARP Health Care Options fyi (newsletter)
Fall 2006

Question:  My husband has Alzheimer’s disease.  His pharmacist told me that certain medicines could further worsen his memory problems.  Any advice?

Answer:  …You are wise to take steps to ensure that your husband’s mental status is not worsened by the effects of his medicines.  As we have mentioned in previous columns, many of us become more sensitive to medicines as we age.  As a result, a variety of medicines could produce unanticipated effects that could worsen mental status and overall function.

Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by low levels of a chemical that transmits signals between nerves called “acetylcholine.”  As a result, medicines called “anticholinergic” drugs that block the effects of this nerve chemical can be especially problematic for people with Alzheimer’s disease.  Unfortunately, these drugs are very common.  They include:

* Certain antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
* Certain antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil) and doxepin (Sinequan)
* Medicines for bladder problems such as oxybutynin (Ditropan)
* Muscle relaxants such as carisoprodol (Soma), cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril), and methocarbamol (Robaxin)

I always say to write down the name of every medicine that you or your loved one is taking, and review this list regularly with your doctor and your pharmacist.

“Understanding Difficult Behaviors”- recommended book

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This post might be of interest to those who have loved ones with dementia — all of the LBD, some of the PSP, and some of the CBD (especially late stage) folks…

There are a couple of great books with practical suggestions on how to cope with Alzheimer’s Disease and similar illnesses. One is “Understanding Difficult Behaviors” by Anne Robinson, Beth Spencer, and Laurie White, 1989, published by Eastern Michigan University.

You can purchase the book at local offices of the Alzheimer’s Association, which are in Mountain View, Lafayette, San Rafael, Sacramento, Santa Cruz, etc.

The difficult behaviors this book deals with are: angry, agitated behavior; hallucinations, paranoia; incontinence problems; problems with bathing; problems with dressing; problems with eating; problems with sleeping; problems with wandering; repetitive actions; screaming, verbal noises; and wanting to go home.

Copied below are some excerpts from the four-page section on “Screaming, Verbal Noises.”

Robin

 

Excerpts from

“Screaming, Verbal Noises”
in
Understanding Difficult Behaviors
by Anne Robinson, Beth Spencer, and Laurie White
1989
Published by Eastern Michigan University

POSSIBLE CAUSES

Physiological or Medical Causes
* hunger
* incontinence (wetness, etc)
* need to go to the bathroom
* fatigue
* need for help changing position in bed or wheelchair
* vision or hearing loss that causes misperception of the environment
* impaired ability to speak or be understood
* acute medical problems that result in feeling ill or pain and discomfort

Environmental Causes
* too much noise
* overstimulation or sensory overload
* use of physical restraints
* upset by behavior of other residents

Other Causes
* procedures which are uncomfortable or not understood, such as having an enema, having a dressing changed, being catherized, etc.
* bathing – person may be cold or feel exposed
* dressing – person may be cold or feel exposed
* purpose of mouth care not understood
* touch/turning/repositioning – uncomfortable or not understood
* fear/anxiety
* feeling threatened
* need for attention
* frustration
* boredom/lack of stimulation

COPING STRATEGIES

* Have a good medical evaluation to check for illness, infections, pain/discomfort, or impaction

* Provide adequate meals/snacks to minimize hunger

* Institute regular toileting schedule to minimize incontinence

* Change promptly after incontinent episodes

* Try rest periods to minimize fatigue

* Make sure there are frequent (at least every 1-2 hours) position changes if person is bedridden or restrained in chair

* Maximize sensory input. (Check to see whether hearing aids and eyeglasses are in place and working properly.)

* Lower stress; create a relaxing environment:
– minimize noise
– avoid overstimulation/sensory overload
– avoid use of restraints
– play soft, soothing music

* Use relaxation strategies to minimize fear, threat, anxiety. For example:
– try massage/therapeutic touch, stroking person’s head, arms, hands
– try placing your arms around the person and gently rocking back and forth
– talk in a soothing voice
– play soft, soothing music or soothing sounds such as tape of rainfall, waves breaking on shore, etc.

* Try these communication suggestions:
– approach person with soothing voice; call person by his/her name; identify yourself
– explain/prepare person for what is to be done using simple, clear, short sentences
– break task into short steps briefly explaining each one
– think of other ways for the person to communicate, such as using a bell. This can enhance the person’s sense of security by feeling that he/she is able to communicate needs to caregiver

* For staff in long term care settings:
– use consistent routines for activities such as bathing, meals, getting ready for bed; keep to the same schedule each day
– identify staff who work well with certain individuals. Consistency in staffing is important.
– plan time to socialize with the person for a few minutes in addition to assisting with activities of daily living
– encourage participation in meaningful activities to minimize boredom and frustration.

* Softly read to person.

* Medication should be used cautiously when other interventions have been unsuccessful and when the vocal behavior is very stressful to the caregiver(s) and/or residents living in the area. This medication should be monitored carefully by a physician/psychiatrist.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Vocal behaviors are most commonly seen in the later stages of progressive dementia. Many people who shout or cry out are physically immobile – wheelchair or bed-bound. The underlying problem is the person’s inability to communicate his/her needs, wishes, thoughts, etc.

 

“Cognitive Changes w/Aging” and “Maintaining Health” – lecture notes

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Stanford sponsored a 3-part series on geriatric health in May. The second evening, May 18, 2006, included two lectures:

“Cognitive Changes With Aging: How Much Is Too Much?”
Speaker: Michael Greicius, MD, MPH, Dept of Neurology, Memory Disorders, Stanford Univ

“The Big Picture of Maintaining Health — Medications, Tests and Safety At Home”
Speaker: Yusra Hussain, MD, Dept of Internal Med, Geriatrician, Stanford Hospital & Clinics

This email attempts to summarize some of the key points in those lectures and provide a web link to the handout.

Dr. Greicius said that one-tenth of people over 65 have Alzheimer’s Disease. One-third of people over 85 have AD. 70% of the dementia cases are AD. The most common non-AD dementias are Vascular Dementia, FTD, and LBD. According to the “nun study,” the more education you have, the less impaired you are than someone with less education for the same degree of AD.

There is a disorder known as Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Half of those with MCI convert to AD every four years. Scientists are looking into who will convert and how this can be prevented. Neither Vitamin E nor Aricept helped treat MCI.

There are many reversible causes of memory loss including B12 deficiency, low thyroid, medication (anticholinergics including some medications for urinary incontinence, beta-blockers, enzodiazepines, opiates, anti-epileptics, some medications for neuropathy), depression, alcohol, and retirement.

In general, people in their 50s and 60s can handle less than half the alcohol they could handle in their 30s.

There are some cognitive IMPROVEMENTS with normal aging: emotionality, semantic knowledge (knowledge of the world), and vocabulary.

Dr. Greicius spoke about cognitive decline with normal aging. Related to that topic, he distributed an article from the journal Nature Review Neuroscience, Feb ’04, titled “Insights into the Ageing Mind: A View from Cognitive Neuroscience.” He said this was an excellent review of the topic. An abstract of the article can be found at: (The full article costs $30.)
http://www.nature.com/nrn/journal/v5/n2/abs/nrn1323_fs.html

What can be done to minimize cognitive decline? His guesses include living healthy, moderate alcohol consumption, and no cigarettes. He explored the possible role of NSAIDs and cognitive training in minimizing decline.

His recommendations include: all things in moderation; minimize cardiovascular risk factors; sell your TV; read, dance, exercise; spend more time with friends and family; participate in medical research. Two journals did a review of ginkgo biloba studies. They showed no benefit. He doesn’t recommend taking extra Vitamin E.

Dr. Greicius said that there is a GRAIN of truth only to the layperson’s notion that for the clock test (part of the 4-hours of neuropsychological testing) those with AD can draw the clock and those with LBD cannot. He said that generally speaking those with LBD have visuospatial impairment early on, which is why they can’t draw the clock. But not all those with LBD have visuospatial impairment at the time of diagnosis. Another point: those with late stages AD can’t draw the clock either.

Dr. Hussain said that most people get a serious chronic condition at the age of 55. These can include geriatric syndromes, which are urinary incontinence, MCI, and depression.

If you think your health is excellent, you will live longer. If you think your health is merely good, your lifespan is normal/average.

About half of all deaths are attributable to preventable factors.

A healthy lifestyle includes: maintaining social life; being active each day; eating well; avoiding tobacco and excessive alcohol intake; following up on periodic health examinations and screening tests.

The best diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts. One should have moderate consumption of polyunsatured fatty acids, omega 3 fatty acids, protein and dairy. One should have low consumption of carbs and animal fats. She does not recommend taking a multi-vitamin with antioxidants as a supplement. She says that antioxidants should be part of the diet.

In order to maintain cognitive function, she said that the “nun study” shows that it’s important to have a purpose in life and to stay busy with family and friends.

Frailty cannot be reversed.

That’s it! I didn’t attend the third lecture nor was I very interested in it so I won’t be emailing out notes from that one.

Regards,
Robin

Caregiving for those with Dementia – Class Notes

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This post will be of interest to those who are caring for people with dementia…

I attended the 4-week class on caregiving for those with dementia at Avenidas in Palo Alto this month (May ’06). The class, called “It Takes Two: Dealing with Dementia-related Behavior,” was run by the Family Caregiver Alliance (caregiver.org), an SF-based organization that offers classes, resources, and counseling to those throughout the SF Bay Area and nationally.

A Dementia Fact Sheet was handed out. It states:

“[The] term ‘dementia’ is used by the medical community to describe patients with impaired intellectual capacity… Signs of dementia include short-term memory loss, inability to think problems through or complete complex tasks without step-by-step instructions, confusion, difficulty concentrating and paranoid, inappropriate or bizarre behavior. Clinical depression also may accompany early signs of dementia.”

In the first class, we discussed dementia. I think I wrote these statistics down correctly:
* 10% of people older than 65 have AD or dementia
* over the age of 85, almost 50% of the people have AD or dementia

There are reversible dementias and irreversible ones. The importance of getting a diagnosis was made clear by the fact that some dementias are reversible. In the first class, different diseases with dementia components were discussed, beginning with AD. LBD and PSP were both discussed.

Though it was not distributed, I think this publication summarizes the information presented the first day of class:

www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=569

Lots of FCA-authored materials were handed out at the first class, including:

1. Dementia – Fact Sheet: I can’t find this on their website. It lists possible causes of dementia (deteriorating intellectual capacity) including reactions to medications, emotional distress, metabolic disturbances, nutritional deficiencies, etc.

2. Alzheimer’s Disease – Fact Sheet: this is available on their website at:

www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=567

The fact sheet breaks AD into three stages and describes the dementia-related behaviors of each stage.

Note that the Dementia with Lewy Bodies – Fact Sheet on their website is woefully out of date. I’d suggest getting the latest info from the LBDA website. In particular, this brochure is excellent for caregivers, MDs, etc:

www.lewybodydementia.org/docs/brochure/3_brochure.pdf

3. Tips for Interacting with a Person with Dementia: I can’t find this on their website. The tips are:
* Reassure, reassure, reassure
* Try to remain calm
* Do not disagree with made up stories
* Give compliments often
* Respond to the person’s feelings, not their words
* Use distractions
* Do not try to reason with the person
* Give yourself permission to alter the truth
* Avoid asking questions that rely on short term memory
* Break down all tasks into simple steps
* Respond calmly to anger, don’t contradict or argue

4. Tips on Interacting with Persons with Alzheimer’s Disease or other Dementias (pages 1-3) and Qualities of Friendship in Relation to Someone with Dementia (page 4). I can’t find this on their website.

5. Principles for Understanding and Communicating with a Person with Dementia. I can’t find this on their website. The five principles are:
* Knowing and accepting the cognitive limitations of the person will help you set realistic expectations of the person’s behavior.
* Understand that OUR thoughts, attitude, and actions significantly impact on the behavior of the person with dementia.
* Recognize that behavior, even in a confused person, more likely results from a cause. It is triggered.
* Learn that to enhance communication with a person with dementia requires a commitment to remain “connected” regardless of the content of the conversation.
* Understand that changing behavior takes time, effort, and patience. Reward yourself often for working towards change.

6. A Reference List for Families and Professionals – Caring for Individuals with Dementia: I can’t find this on their website. It’s a list of books on family caregiving and dementia care.

7. Caring for Adults with Cognitive and Memory Impairments – Fact Sheet: this is available on their website at:

www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=392

The other three classes are hard to summarize. Basically we discussed and role-played communication strategies based on the tips and principles listed above.

This class will certainly be taught again in the Bay Area. It was taught in April in SF, I believe. And then the May class was in Palo Alto. My guess is that it will be taught again in the fall. You can check in periodically with the FCA’s website listing of classes to learn what’s available:

www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=1001

Regards,
Robin

Namenda (memantine) and PSP

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A group member with progressive supranuclear palsy asked me recently what I knew about two Alzheimer’s drugs — Aricept and Namenda — in treating PSP. I posted a few days ago about Aricept, which is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor.

Here is a link to that post:

https://www.brainsupportnetwork.org/aricept-and-psp-2001-study

This post is about Namenda, which is a chemical receptor agonist that appears to work by regulating the activity of glutamate, a messenger chemical in the brain. Glutamate plays an essential role in learning and memory.

I found an interesting fact sheet on Namenda from the Alzheimer’s Association:

http://search.alz.org/Resources/FactSheets/FSmemantine.pdf

According to this Alzheimer’s Association publication, Namenda is approved for moderate to severe AD, which is defined as initial scores ranging from 3 to 14 on the Mini-Mental State Exam or MMSE. The FDA’s approval was based on the evidence provided by two drug-company studies. In one study, those taking Namenda showed a small but statistically significant benefit in a test of their ability to perform daily activities and on the Severe Impairment Battery when compared to those taking a placebo. In another study of people who had previously taken Aricept for 6 months, those taking Namenda showed a statistical benefit in performing daily activities and on the Severe Impairment Battery when compared to those taking a placebo and Aricept.

From this publication I learned that Namenda is NOT approved for mild Alzheimer’s. I will take this information to my father’s neurologist next month. My dad has mild to moderate dementia, I would say, yet he’s been on Namenda for 2 years.

Robin