More time to spend with family and friends, doing the things theyve always enjoyed.
Until recently, there was no way to buy them more time.
Theavailable drugsfor Alzheimers could only temporarily ease some symptomsnot change anything about the underlying brain disease.
Danii Pollehn/Adobe Stock
The medications are definitely not a cure, and theyre not for everyone,Dr.
Schindler,a neurologist at Washington University in St. Louis, tells SELF.
Plus, theyre no picnic to take.
They require regular visits to an infusion centerandbrain scans to catch potentially serious side effects.
Still, she says, For the right patients, I do think these treatments are worth it.
How do these new Alzheimers drugs work?
When people have Alzheimers disease, their brains slowly accumulate abnormal clumps of two proteins: amyloid and tau.
Amyloid clumps (often called plaques) start building up early in the Alzheimers process.
Thats where anti-amyloid drugs come in.
Got itbut howwelldo they work?
Thedonanemab trialhad similar results.
Patients on the drug had a 35% slower decline over 18 months compared with the placebo group.
Its also unclear how, say, a 27% slower decline would show up in daily life.
Do you notice it?
In the drug trials, Dr. Lapins notes, some patients did say they felt betteras if theyd stabilized.
Who might benefit from an anti-amyloid medication?
Theyre strictly for people with milder dementia symptoms.
Dr. Lapins says many of her patients are still driving and going food shoppingand some are still working.
The other big requirement to be eligible for anti-amyloid therapy is evidence of amyloid in the brain.
Thats especially true for people younger than 65, she points out.
A neurologist will generally have a go at rule out other causes.
How safe are these new Alzheimers drugs?
And remember that APOE e4 gene?
Having two copies also boosts the risk of ARIA.
So before people start on lecanemab or donanemab, they need a genetic blood test.
But at her center theyve decided not to offer the treatment to those patients for now.
Is getting a prescription for anti-amyloid therapy difficult?
This isnt a treatment you might get from your primary care doctor.
Only some neurologists specializing in dementia are providing it at this point, Dr. Schindler says.
So access is a big issue.
And yes, it all comes with a hefty price tag.
Both drugs cost more than $25,000 a year, and then theres all the PET and MRI imaging.
Medicare covers these costs to a degree, but there are co-pays.
Private insurance coverage varies.
Im interested in learning morewhat should I do next?
Figuring out whether these treatments are right for you or a loved one is no simple process.
