2023-12-19 10:13:49
Dementia is one of the most common chronic diseases in Spain with a prevalence among people over 65 years of age that is between 4 and 9%. It is a cognitive impairment that worsens as age advances and in which advance planning plays a key role in the face of a disease that still has no cure.
This has been seen in the IV Course on Multidisciplinary Care and Intervention in Dementia of the Spanish Society of Psychogeriatrics, held at the Madrid headquarters of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra. During the day, all aspects of the disease have been addressed: from diagnosis and early detection, to treatment and palliative care at the end of life.
According to the National Institute of Statistics, 26.9% of the Spanish population will be over 65 years old in 2050. This progressive aging of society that is reversing the population pyramid presents new challenges. “More and more people are going to need palliative medicine, so we must have the tools that allow us to identify when someone needs this care and have the resources to care for them appropriately, both in hospitals and at home.“, points out the Dr. A.S. Borja Monterospecialist in the Support and Symptom Control Team at the Universidad de Navarra Clinic.
This palliative care “improves the quality of life of patients, but we should not think regarding them at the last minute. We have seen that in patients with dementia it is essential to establish an advance care plan, early dialogue with the person, and the training of professionals and family members who will accompany them during the duration of the illness.“, specifies Cristina Plapsychologist at the Bidealde Socio-Health Center.
Dementia progressively deprives the patient of their essential characteristics and functional activities, which makes these people demand help, both medical and family. For this reason, specialists recognize, in dementia there is a binomial between the person and their family that cannot be faced separately.
Three new drugs for a new horizon
Among dementias, Alzheimer’s is the most common. At the moment, none of them are cured. However, There is a hopeful pharmacological horizon. During this meeting, three drugs in the study phase were presented that may represent a change of course.either. This is how he explained it Dr. Adolfo Jiménez Huetea neurologist at the Clinic, who has presented the latest results of Adecanumab, Lecanemab and Donanemab, three monoclonal drugs aimed at patients with Alzheimer’s that have begun to be marketed in the United States.
This fourth edition of the course has focused on dementia due to its high prevalence and its difficult management for the patient and their families, caregivers, and even for the rest of the health personnel who participate in care. “We have sought to have a broad perspective to improve the care of our patients. From a multidisciplinary approach, we have been able to delve deeper and talk regarding this disease from all its angles,” points out the Dr. Jorge Plaspecialist in the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology of the Clinic and director of the course.
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