What exactly is the difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease?

Ask the Doctor
Leslee B. Cochrane, MD.
Medical Director

Ramona Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice

Question: “My father was recently diagnosed with dementia and we saw a specialist who told us he has Alzheimer’s disease. What exactly is the difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease?”

Answer: Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia and accounts for 60-80% of all cases of dementia. Other common types of dementia include vascular dementia, Lewy-Body dementia, Parkinson’s disease and Pick’s disease. The term “dementia” refers to a loss in mental function lasting greater than 6 months that is significant enough to interfere with daily life. In other words, all patients with Alzheimer’s disease have dementia; but not all patients with dementia have Alzheimer’s disease.

Because there are many conditions that cause dementia-like symptoms, it is important to have a comprehensive evaluation by a physician to determine the cause of the symptoms. Several treatable conditions such as thyroid disorders, depression, drug interactions and vitamin deficiencies may cause dementia-like symptoms that respond favorably to treatment. A comprehensive evaluation includes a review of the medical history, mental status testing, physical examination, neurological evaluation and diagnostic testing. Other specialists such as neurologists or psychiatrists may also be consulted to confirm the diagnosis.

There is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease so early detection is important because the treatments currently available for Alzheimer’s are more effective when used earlier in the course of the disease. For more information including “The 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s”, please see the Alzheimer’s Association website at www.alz.org. Do not worry; losing your car keys is not one of the warning signs, unless you discover that you put them in the toaster to turn it on.

Ramona VNA and Hospice in conjunction with Hemet Hospice Volunteers is currently hosting an Alzheimer’s Caregiver Informational series to help support families coping with this devastating illness. The next session will be held from 10am – noon on Thursday, May 5th at the Seventh Day Adventist Church on the corner of Girard and Stetson Avenues in Hemet. For more details, please contact Parisha Burd at 951-652-8309 - extension 3609. If you need assistance with any general health-related issues, please call our HELP line at 1-888-983-5337; or visit us on the web at www.help4elders.info.