Alzheimer disease - Report of the council on scientific affairs

Alzheimer disease (AD) takes a heavy economic, social, physical, and psycho logical toll on patients, families, and society. Because of the increasing life expectancy in the United States, AD is expected to afflict approximate ly 14 million people within the next few decades. There is currently no cur e, only interventions that can temporarily ameliorate the profound cognitiv e losses and behavioral manifestations of the disorder. Community services are fragmented and underutilized. Physicians, in their traditional role as gatekeepers, can encourage more families to use supportive services. This a rticle reviews the guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of AD of the A gency for Health Care Policy and Research, the American Academy of Neurolog y, the Veterans Health Administration, and the American Psychiatric Associa tion. Although these guidelines contain valuable information, they do not a dequately address the role of the family physician and the need for continu ity of care. Recommendations regarding AD from the Council on Scientific Af fairs, which were adopted as American Medical Association policy in Decembe r 1997, are included in this article.