More than 170 people have attended the event to promote Alzheimer's prevention through healthy lifestyle habits "When you take care of yourself, Alzheimer's takes a step back." The meeting, held at the Reconquista Hotel, in Oviedo, is part of the work of raising social awareness, a key aspect of our mission along with our contribution to research into the disease.
He Dr. Chema González de Echávarri, a neurologist at the Pasqual Maragall Foundation and head of the Dementia Unit at the Joan XXIII Hospital in Tarragona, explained in the presentation that Alzheimer's has multiple causes, some inevitable, such as aging, and others modifiable, such as a sedentary lifestyle or hypertension. He stressed the importance of addressing these risk factors to prevent the disease and slow its progression, adopting healthy habits to protect both the heart and the brain.
He also stressed that research has revealed that one in three cases of Alzheimer's can be attributed to modifiable factors related to cardiovascular health and lifestyle. He also noted that “Every four seconds a new case of Alzheimer's is diagnosed in the world. And more specifically, 1 in 10 people over 65 suffers from Alzheimer's, and a third of those over 85Since there is no known cure for the disease at this time, focusing on prevention is essential to reduce the risk of developing the disease and to mitigate its severity should it develop.
The crucial role of the family, the primary caregiver in most cases
In the talk, he also addressed the impact of Alzheimer's on the patient's family, who generally take on the primary role of caregiver, providing direct care to the person affected by the disease. “As the disease progresses and symptoms worsen, the affected person becomes more dependent on the caregiver, a task that, in most cases (8 out of 10), falls on a family member. ”, the expert commented.
Thus, he stressed that “Family caregivers typically spend around 70 hours a week on care, in a disease that typically persists between 7 and 15 years. These data highlight the significant impact that Alzheimer's has on the patient's family and environment.”.
News in Alzheimer's research
At the end of the event, the latest advances in the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's were highlighted, emphasizing a significant change in the way the disease is detected. Dr. Gonzalez de Echavarri He mentioned that the Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center (BBRC), a research center of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation, has developed new methods for detecting Alzheimer's, such as blood biomarkers. These biomarkers allow for the precise identification of the initial stages of the disease and to determine which individuals need additional tests to confirm the diagnosis.
