Demencija u primarnoj zdravstvenoj zaštiti

Abstract

Dementia is defined as an acquired loss of cognitive abilities, accompanied by disturbances of behavior, emotions, and activities of daily living. Dementia is uncommon among younger population, but its prevalence among people over 60 years of age is growing rapidly, and is doubling approximately every five years. At the Community health center Savski venac number of patients with variety of cognitive problems, is followed for the period from 2010 to 2014. The aim of this paper is a description of the obtained data on the prevalence of patients with dementia at the Community health center Savski venac. Also, indirect objective is to consider the importance of early diagnosis, due to the timely prescription of medications, and recommendation of therapeutic interventions, which are aimed at improving communication, and social skills of patients, and the protection of caregivers from stress. Method used in this paper is recording of the prevalence of dementia among patients older than 60 years, based on the data from the medical records. For the purposes of assessment of cognitive abilities at the primary level of health care two screening tests are used: TCS (The Clock Drawing Test) and MMSE (MiniMental State Examination), both of them originally made to assess the severity of dementia, but which also have a widespread use, due to the simplicity of application. The results show that dementia is becoming more prevalent, both worldwide, and in our country. For the period from 2010. to 2014. Alzheimer's dementia in the population of people over the age of 60 show an increase of 44%; for the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment this increase is 38%, and for the diagnosis of vascular dementia 56%. Conclusion. Exact reasons for the increase in prevalence of dementia is still unknown. However, what's taken into account, on one hand, is the progress of medicine, which enables longer average life span, and on the other, socioeconomic conditions, wars, fast pace of life, large influx of information via television and Internet... High cost of treatment and medicines for dementia further complicate the disease. In addition to providing an adequate help and treatment of patients with dementia, at the Community health center Savski venac, in the context of health educational work, we have formed a support groups for caregivers.