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Survey: Almost every physician is asked about Alzheimers disease by concerned patients.
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Subtitle: Survey: Almost every physician is asked about Alzheimers disease by concerned patients.
December 17, 2010: To no longer be in control of your mental faculties and to have the mental level of a toddler - a nightmarish vision that is experienced by an increasing number of people. There´s a great fear of becoming a victim of Alzheimer´s and patients are talking about it at the doctor´s office. More than nine out of ten physicians (93%) are confronted with this topic. If the diagnosis has been confirmed, most physicians are in favor of comprehensive specialized care - 86.5% of those surveyed treat patients jointly with a neurologist or psychiatrist.
The fear is in our heads We are living longer than ever, in part with worrisome consequences. One example is Alzheimer´s dementia, which is no longer a rare disorder. Most people know by now that the risk elevates with advanced age and increasingly more people experience memory losses. Physicians in particular are confronted with this fear. Almost all of the physicians surveyed (93%) are asked about Alzheimer´s by their patients and almost four out of ten physicians (39.1%) experience frequent inquiries. Most physicians apparently hope to dispel fears through information. Merely 5% fear the opposite effect. They don´t want to talk about Alzheimer´s dementia until there are conclusive symptoms.
Crossword puzzles instead of pills "A rolling stone gathers no moss "- a popular saying that also applies to brain performance. There is scientific proof that you can train your memory and that mental deterioration can be kept at bay to a certain extent. Many German physicians take advantage of this knowledge to strengthen their patients` mental health and cognitive performance. More than six out of ten family physicians (60.5%) recommend specific memory exercises that can easily be incorporated into everyday life. Many physicians prefer practical training measures to the administration of medication. Less than one third (28.3%) of those surveyed recommends medication such as psychopharmaceutical drugs as a preventative strengthening of mental fitness.
When in doubt, let the tube check it out The diagnosis of "Alzheimer´s disease" is difficult to cope with for patients and their family, especially since the illness cannot be kept at bay over the long term. For that reason, many physicians want to ensure that other causes for the diminished memory performance have been ruled out: 42.3% of physicians will initiate CT or MRI imaging for unclear cases, to obtain conclusive information. Most physicians will rely on their medical experience if there are obvious signs of Alzheimer´s dementia. Only 16.1% feel that it is necessary to send all dementia patients through imaging.
Diagnosis specifications are criticized While physicians are open to the topic of Alzheimer´s dementia, they are very skeptical of the official ICD 10 criteria that are supposed to be a guide for diagnosing dementia. Only one out of ten physicians surveyed (10%) considers the stipulated examinations and tests to be relevant. Slightly more than one third (34.5%) of physicians do utilize the criteria, but consider them to be unnecessary and time-consuming. Nearly half of the physicians (46.8%) generally prefer other tests to verify a suspected diagnosis.
Linked treatment is in demand Almost all physicians agree - if the diagnosis of Alzheimer´s is confirmed, a multi-faceted treatment approach will be necessary. Of the surveyed family physicians, almost nine out of ten (86.5%) involve a neurologist or a psychiatrist to ensure the best possible therapy. Only one in ten (10.7%) has the confidence to treat Alzheimer`s patients and their family on their own. These numbers confirm that Alzheimer´s disease also needs to be battled on all fronts from a medical point of view.
About CompuGroup Medical AG CompuGroup Medical is one of the leading e-health companies worldwide. Its software products, designed to support all medical and organizational activities in doctors´ offices and hospitals, its information services for all parties involved in the healthcare system and its web-based personal health records contribute towards safer and more efficient healthcare. The services of CompuGroup Medical are based on its unique customer base of around 370,000 doctors, dentists, hospitals and networks as well as other service providers. CompuGroup Medical is the e-health company with one of the biggest coverage among e-health service providers worldwide. The company operates in 14 European countries as well as in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and in the USA and currently employs around 3,100 people.
The CGM GesundheitsMONITOR: The CGM GesundheitsMONITOR is a joint initiative of CompuGroup Medical, the Medical Tribune and the Rhein-Zeitung. They perform representative monthly surveys of 440 general practitioners with regard to current issues in the healthcare system. You can download free printable graphs and find publications as well as information about the representative survey at www.cgm- gesundheitsmonitor.de.
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CompuGroup Medical AG
Barbara Müller
Consultant Press & Media
P +49 (0) 261 8000-1293
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E-Mail: press@cgm.com
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