Although the so-called Alzheimer’s disease epidemic is currently raging around the world, such a diagnosis is rarely made in Russia. As explained in an interview with socialbites.ca, a neurologist, director of the Neurological Diseases Clinic. AND ME. Kozhevnikov, Professor Vladimir Parfenov of Sechenov University, the reason for this is an incorrect diagnosis – the veins are often considered the cause of dementia.
“Alzheimer’s disease in Russia is diagnosed very rarely. Last year, neurologists recorded this in less than 10,000 cases. Only Russian doctors do not know this disease well, it is rarely correctly diagnosed. Usually psychiatrists make this diagnosis, but at the very last stage, when a person is weak-minded and we are talking about his legal capacity. In general, in our country, according to various estimates, there are one and a half million such patients instead of 10 thousand, ”said the neurologist.
According to the professor, doctors often diagnose patients with incipient dementia rather than Alzheimer’s disease as “cerebrovascular pathology.”
“They think dementia is from blood vessels, from atherosclerosis, from hypertension. Yes, these are factors too, but not the main ones. About 15-20% of dementia cases are caused by “veins”. To diagnose vascular dementia, it is necessary to do an MRI of the head, ”says Parfenov.
According to the professor, doctors specializing in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease will not be mistaken in nine out of ten cases, using clinical examination data and brain MRI.
For more information on whether it is now possible to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease at an early stage, what tests allow it, and what needs to be done to slow the onset of dementia in the disease, see report “socialbites.ca”.