A proposal suggests GPs will be given extra money to look out for signs of dementia in a patient. So what could a test involve?
According to Alzheimer's Research UK, a GP will first want to chat to the patient and a close relative to see if the person's memory is worse than might be expected given a number of factors including age and medical history.
The GP will want to know whether the patient has a history of strokes, heart disease or diabetes, all of which may raise the risk of dementia. They will also inquire about medication as side effects of some medicines may include short-term memory problems that are not linked to dementia.
They may do a blood and or urine test to check for vitamin deficiencies or thyroid problems as these can affect the memory and, with treatment, can be reversed.
If these are ruled out and no other immediate cause of memory impairment is found, the GP could carry out a variety of tests to check for signs of dementia.
These include:
:: Orientation
Asking the patient to name the date, day, year or season, to see how much present awareness they have.
:: Concentration
Spelling a word backwards or counting backwards from 100 and seeing how far the patient can go without forgetting or stopping.
:: Long-Term Memory Check
Asking the name of the present prime minister or reading out three words and then asking the patient to repeat them back, also testing for short-term memory recall.
:: Understanding of Language
Reading out a sentence with instructions to see how much they comprehend and can follow, ie: "Close your eyes."
:: Visual/Spatial Awareness
Showing the patient a picture of a simple shape and asking them to draw the shape.
The tests are scored on a points basis, taking into account age and the fact that the memory will change with age.
If the GP is concerned that the deterioration is not in line with what could be expected, they can refer the patient to a specialist memory clinic, a neurologist or an old age psychiatrist.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Dementia: What Tests The GP May Do To Check
Dengan url
http://serverkecil.blogspot.com/2014/10/dementia-what-tests-gp-may-do-to-check.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Dementia: What Tests The GP May Do To Check
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
Dementia: What Tests The GP May Do To Check
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar