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Diagnosing and Treating Alzheimer Disease During the Early Stage
Overview
Many new therapies for early-stage AD have made their way onto the scene that can delay onset of the disease and/or slow down progression. Find out the how, what, when to better treat your patients with AD from specialists in the field.
Learning Objectives
After completing this educational activity, you should be able to:
- Identify patients with early-stage Alzheimer disease
- Facilitate prompt treatment initiation for patients who have early-stage Alzheimer disease
- Discuss the potential use of current and emerging agents focused on reducing disease progression with patients and their care partners
Target Audience
Primary care clinicians, psychiatrists, neurologists, and NPs and PAs in these settings
Abstract
Recent advances in technology can lead to earlier detection of Alzheimer disease (AD) in patients and therefore opportunities for early diagnosis and treatment. In addition, novel agents can slow disease progression and improve symptoms. However, clinicians are not providing a diagnosis to over half of individuals who meet criteria for dementia. Early detection and intervention are crucial to slow symptom progression, and these advances provide a window of opportunity to diagnose the disease early and even prevent it from becoming symptomatic. Clinicians need education on early recognition of AD and on sharing the diagnosis of AD with patients and families as well as guidance for providing patients and families with information on next steps and facilitating early treatment initiation for AD. Partnering with clinicians in the primary care setting and providing them with the necessary tools can change the trajectory of the disease for patients and caregivers.
J Clin Psychiatry 2023;84(2):LI21019AH3C
To cite: Burke AD, Goldfarb D. Diagnosing and treating Alzheimer disease during the early stage. J Clin Psychiatry 2023;84(2):LI21019AH3C
To share: https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.LI21019AH3C
From the Series: Diagnosing and Treating Alzheimer Disease During the Early Stage
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Support Statement
Supported by an educational grant from Lilly USA, LLC.
Learning Objective
After completing this educational activity, you should be able to:
- Identify patients with early-stage Alzheimer disease
- Facilitate prompt treatment initiation for patients who have early-stage Alzheimer disease
- Discuss the potential use of current and emerging agents focused on reducing disease progression with patients and their care partners
Release, Review, and Expiration Dates
This CME activity was published in March 2023 and is eligible for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ through April 30, 2024.
Statement of Need and Purpose
A diagnosis of Alzheimer disease (AD) occurs in many cases when patients have already reached the moderate to severe stages in the AD continuum. This diagnostic delay while patients have mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild dementia reduces the opportunity to intervene with symptomatic therapy or potentially disease-modifying therapy. When a diagnosis is made, clinicians are not effectively communicating with patients and care partners regarding the illness and next steps. Although guidelines recommend that symptomatic therapy should be initiated upon diagnosis, prompt treatment initiation does not occur in a substantial number of patients newly diagnosed with AD. Clinicians need education about the rationale for early identification of MCI and mild AD dementia and about recommended methods for diagnosis. They also need guidance for sharing the diagnosis along with education on next steps for patients and their care partners, including support services. Finally, education is needed about facilitating treatment initiation.
Unlabeled and Investigational Usage
The faculty of this educational activity may include discussions of products or devices that are not currently labeled for use by the FDA. Faculty members have been advised to disclose to the audience any reference to an unlabeled or investigational use.
No endorsement of unapproved products or uses is made or implied by coverage of these products or uses.
Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indicators, contraindications and warnings.
Review Process
The faculty members agreed to provide a balanced and evidence-based presentation and discussed the topics and CME objectives during the planning sessions. The faculty’s submitted content was validated by CME Institute staff, and the activity was evaluated for accuracy, use of evidence, and fair balance by the Chair.
The opinions expressed herein are those of the faculty and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the CME provider and publisher or the commercial supporter
© Copyright 2023 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.
Faculty Affiliation
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Financial Disclosure
The CME Institute adheres to the Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). Any individuals in a position to control the content of a continuing education activity, including faculty, content developers, reviewers, staff, and others, are required to disclose to learners the presence or absence of any relevant financial relationships with an ACCME-defined ineligible company within the preceding 24 months of the activity. The ACCME defines an “ineligible company” as one whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.
The CME Institute has mitigated all relevant conflicts of interest prior to the commencement of the activity. None of the individuals involved in the content have relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies except the following:
Dr Burke has served as a consultant for disease state education for Eli Lilly.
Dr. Goldfarb has no personal affiliations or financial relationships with any commercial interest to disclose relative to the activity.
Marlene P. Freeman, MD, Editor in Chief, Boston, MA, has received research funding from JayMac and Sage; has been a member of the Independent Data Safety and Monitoring Committee for Janssen (Johnson & Johnson), Novartis, and Neurocrine; and has served on advisory boards for Eliem and Sage. As an employee of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Dr Freeman works with the MGH National Pregnancy Registry, which receives funding from Alkermes, Aurobindo, AuroMedics, Johnson & Johnson/Janssen, Otsuka, Sage, Sunovion, Supernus, and Teva, and works with the MGH Clinical Trials Network and Institute, which receives research funding from multiple pharmaceutical companies and the National Institute of Mental Health. Dr Freeman has also received royalties through MGH for the Massachusetts General Hospital Female Reproductive Lifecycle and Hormones Questionnaire.
None of the other planners, reviewers, and CME Institute staff for this educational activity have relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.
Accreditation Statement
The CME Institute of Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc., is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Credit Designation
The CME Institute of Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc., designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Note: The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) accept certificates of participation for educational activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by the ACCME.
To obtain credit for this activity, study the material and complete the CME Posttest and Evaluation.
Available Credit
- 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
- 1.00 Participation