The spouse of a patient who is newly diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease asks the nurse if medications will prevent the need for nursing home care. Which response by the nurse is correct?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Alzheimer's disease is a disease in which symptoms progress relentlessly from mild to moderate to severe. Medications have not been clearly effective and do not stop the disease progression, although they may slow loss of memory and cognition and prolong independent function. There is no indication that available drugs stop disease progression if begun early in the course of the disease. There is no clearly effective therapy for core symptoms, but associated symptoms such as incontinence and depression may be treated.

The Spouse of a Patient Who Is Newly Diagnosed with Alzheimer's