Forget future medications – people with dementia now need better care

An old friend and veteran of psychiatry in the elderly told me that he experienced déjà vu at the latest “extraordinary progress” celebration in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Preliminary approval of aducanumab by US regulatorsIs a monoclonal antibody that targets the amyloid beta protein that deposits on destructive plaques in the brain that cause relentless cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease.

He recalls the enthusiastic welcome of the first-generation medications for dementia, the so-called “anticholinesterase inhibitors,” over 20 years ago. These drugs were prescribed on a large scale and were prescribed on a large scale before rigorous studies showed that their effects were very limited. “This is an area where emotions, pressure groups and vested interests cloud the water and create demand for treatment before proven products are actually available,” he says.

Several authorities have stated that U.S. authorities have approved aducanumab because it may delay the pathological process of amyloid deposits. Another study drug, solanezumab, has similarly disappointing results. As a result, it was discontinued by the manufacturer in 2016.Robert Howard, a professor of geriatric psychiatry at University College London, said at the Science Media Center that the decision to approve aducanaamab was a “serious mistake” and would have a negative impact on affected patients and their families. Alzheimer’s disease It may delay research in other areas.

The horrific mortality rate of dementia patients in elderly homes due to coronavirus infection over the past year underscores the importance of a high level of social care for these patients. Staff recruitment and training, continuity, infection control, testing, and personal protective equipment issues have long been ignored not only in media attention, but also in resource allocation. However, in terms of predictable future quality of life, social care is more important to patients with Alzheimer’s disease than any drug currently under development.

Suspicion of second jab

At the Coronavirus Infection Vaccine Clinic, I encountered a patient who returned with a strong resentment at the second injection. Further investigation revealed that they often came only reluctantly for the first jab. Revealed, Their hesitation was strengthened as a result of subsequent publicity about the subsequent adverse effects of the Covid vaccine...

Some admit that they were under compulsion, from colleagues in social care and health services, or more generally from their families. You can resume. Some have taken hesitant and moody relatives to the clinic.

Surprisingly, this resistance is associated with a more serious and long-term range of well-known minor side effects of the vaccine, such as arm pain, fatigue and malaise, headache and chills, pain and pain. Some experienced all of these chills-like symptoms, but few needed to take painkillers or see a doctor. Once given the opportunity to report these symptoms and convinced that they are unlikely to be so prominent after the second jab, they are usually willing to roll up their sleeves, receive double vaccination and protect with Covid. Join the ranks of those who have been vaccinated.

Hope for hay fever

In addition to the previous letter TelegraphAnother reader reports that his hay fever symptoms have improved dramatically since he was vaccinated against the new coronavirus infection, and that his neighbor had a similar experience. From February to November, he habitually takes antihistamine tablets daily to relieve runny nose and itchy eyes. Still, he didn’t have to take a single tablet since he had the Oxford / AstraZeneca jab.

The late arrival of spring is a great opportunity to see if the treatment of hay fever with the new coronavirus vaccine has a broader effect. I hope it goes well!