Are We On The Brink Of An Alzheimer’s Epidemic?
According to a new report by the Health & Social Care Information Centre, the number of Alzheimer’s drugs prescribed in England has jumped from 502,000 in 2004 to THREE million in 2014.
This is a major cause for concern. It either means that we are edging on the cliff of an Alzheimer’s epidemic or there may be reason to think that Alzheimer’s disease is being over-diagnosed.
Public health crisis or overkill?
Experts at the US National Institutes of Health recently warned that the explosion in new cases of Alzheimer disease is down to an ageing population – and the fact most sufferers are diagnosed after the age of 65. They also estimate that more than 100 million people across the world will be battling Alzheimer’s by 2050.
It’s true, we are living longer. But considering the amount of drugs most people are taking by the time they are 65 years old there is something to be said about the fact that the combined side effects of these drug cocktails could potentially mirror Alzheimer’s and dementia symptoms.
One drug in particular has been shown to have a severe impact on memory and cognitive function: cholesterol-lowering statin drugs. And let’s face it, people are now being told to take these side effect-ridden drugs (even if they have no cardiovascular disease risk factors) from as early as the age of 40.
Adding to that, last year, we reported on research that showed how taking as little as three drugs daily, sharply increases your risk of memory loss and dementia – all as a result of drug interactions. And the more drugs you take, the greater your risk. Plus, it doesn’t matter if they’re prescription or over-the-counter drugs.
What makes this really scary is that the average elderly person takes seven different drugs every day. Some patients pop as many as 11 pills daily!
According to Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy, chief of biological psychiatry at Duke University Medical Centre, in the US, “every Alzheimer’s expert living today has been fooled.”
Dr. Doraiswamy is convinced that countless patients are being diagnosed every year with a disease they don’t really have. And it all comes down to the overuse of more than 100 different drugs that can mimic the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.
But here’s the bit in the most recent report that raised my eyebrows: Between the start of October 2014 and the end of March 2015, doctors were given a £55 cash incentive for every Alzheimer’s diagnosis they make. During this incentive period the number of Alzheimer’s cases increased from 336,445 to 400,707. That’s 64,262 new cases and £3,534410.00 payed out to doctors… in 6 months.
I’m not saying that doctors aren’t doing their jobs properly or that cases of Alzheimer’s disease aren’t rising. However, it looks like there are other factors to take into account when looking at the predicted rise in figures. And call me cynical, but a £55 incentive for every diagnosis looks like a great little money spinner.
Did you find this information useful?
Then why not get more expert health recommendations just like this delivered direct to your inbox?
"It is truly refreshing to read a newsletter on the topic of alternative medicine which is scientifically based and reviewed by professionals..." - Robert Sinott
We respect your privacy and will never share your details with anyone else.Disclaimer: Bear in mind the material contained in this article is provided for information purposes only. We are not addressing anyone’s personal situation. Please consult with your own physician before acting on any recommendations contained herein.
Sources:
‘The world is on the brink of an Alzheimer’s epidemic’, published online 06.01.16, dailymail.co.uk
Alzheimer’s drug prescriptions rise sixfold in decade, Metro, Wednesday 20.01.16
Alzheimer’s disease is expected to continue growing worse, published online 16.01.16, dailydemocrat.com
One nation, under sedation: Medicare paid for nearly 40 million tranquilizer prescriptions in 2013, Charles Ornstein and Ryann Grochowski Jones, June 10, 2015, ProPublica, propublica.org
- Comments (1)
- Facebook Comments (0)
Comments are closed.
We are only having this problem because people live on junk food, do no exercise and don’t take care of their minds when they are young.