Characteristics of the clinical picture and treatment of moderate or severe Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most frequent cause of dementia and one of the most frequent disease in elderly patients. Pathomorphological data have demonstrated that AD is a sole cause in 40% of patients with dementia and in about 15-20% of cases with vascular comorbidity. We consider the evolution of cognitive and mental disorders in moderate and severe stages of AD and describe new approaches to treatment of late AD stages using high doses of cholinesterase inhibitors (in particular, a new form of rivastigmine transdermal system (15 cm2) releasing 13,3 mg of active substance per day), and combinations of cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine with non-pharmacological correction of behavioral disorders the clinical assessment of treatment efficacy. Attention is drawn to the formation of the adequate level of expectations in caregivers.