Dementia
Alternate Names : Senility
How is the condition diagnosed?
Dementia can be diagnosed only if a doctor is made aware of the
problem. Diagnosis will start with a thorough physical and mental exam, as
well as the gathering of a detailed medical history. The family should be
prepared to tell the doctor the range of the person's
symptoms over time. The doctor will want to know how the symptoms
progressed and whether they have improved or become worse. Also, the family
should report how suddenly or gradually symptoms appeared.
A complete list of all medicines the person is taking will be
needed. This includes over-the-counter products,
herbal remedies,
and prescription medicines. Combinations of drugs may impair thinking
at times.
To determine if other medical conditions may contribute to the
symptoms, the doctor may order certain tests, such as:
blood tests, such as a complete blood count, called a
CBC,
thyroid function tests,
tests for infectious diseases, and tests to determine vitamin levels in the
blood
memory testing
electroencephalogram, called an
EEG,
which measures brain waves
electrocardiogram, called an EKG,
which measures the electrical activity of the heart
cranial MRI or
cranial CT scans,
which can be used to view the structures of the brain
spinal tap, a
procedure in which a small amount of fluid is withdrawn from the spinal column
to check for infection or bleeding
Since there is no definitive test for dementia in a living person,
the doctor will try to rule out other conditions or diseases that may
cause the symptoms.
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